


Redemption

by CelsiusFate



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Jedi: Fallen Order (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cal Kestis slowly turning dark, Cal really needs a hug, F/M, Family, Jedi Code is going out the door, Psychometry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:27:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 38
Words: 95,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21548332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelsiusFate/pseuds/CelsiusFate
Summary: Cal Kestis managed to escape Fortress Inquisitorius with Cere and a redeemed Trilla. With the Holocron destroyed to prevent the Empire from tracking down the Force-sensitive children, Cal and his crew begin searching for alternate ways to weaken the Empire. Yet Cal is not safe, for Emperor Palpatine has tasked Darth Vader with bringing him back...with the intention of turning him into his new Inquisitor.
Comments: 273
Kudos: 405





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I finally beat the game and was wondering...what if Trilla wasn't killed by Vader? What if Cal managed to save and redeem her? That's when my muse decided to hit and made me write this story XD. 
> 
> Spoilers for the game if you haven't beaten it yet! Turn back now! You've been warned!

"Avenge us!" Trilla said as Vader prepared to stab her through the abdomen with his lightsaber.

Unwilling to see Cere lose her Padawan yet again and despite the injuries he sustained in their fight earlier, Cal mustered up enough strength to yank Trilla out of the way at the last second, just before the red glow of the lightsaber could pierce through her body. Momentarily stunned by what just happened, the only thing Trilla could do was stare at Cal in shock.

"Run!" he shouted, pushing her and Cere through the doorway.

Vader was hot on their trail as the trio staggered their way towards the flooded corridors of the underwater fortress. Cal could feel his breath growing faint as exhaustion neared its limit but drew strength from the Force to keep himself going. They were going to get out of the fortress and live, live and rebuild the Jedi Order so they can take on the Empire. Cere wrapped an arm around his waist and helped him run, her apprentice following behind uncertainly.

"You cannot escape this place," Vader declared as he closed in on them.

Cere grabbed Trilla's hand at that moment and looked her in the eyes.

"Protect him," she said, taking up her apprentice's lightsaber before jumping towards Vader.

The Sith Lord easily parried and knocked aside the former Jedi Master with ease, then turned his attention towards the fallen Inquisitor and Jedi fugitive.

Cal launched himself forward with his weapon in hand and parried several blows with the Sith Lord. Vader gained the upper-hand and staggered Cal backwards, then prepared to swing his saber when BD-1 hopped onto the Sith's back and proceeded to shock him. Momentarily immobilized by this, Vader grabbed the little droid with one hand, but that distraction gave Cal a chance to impale the Sith with his lightsaber. Vader saw through the attack and easily knocked him to the ground, then did the same with Trilla. With his lightsaber out of reach, Cal used the Force in a bid to call it back to his hand, only for Vader to pull in the opposite direction. 

"Surrender the Holocron," Vader repeated as Cal looked at him. 

"I'll never give it to you!" he said defiantly. 

"We shall see," the Sith Lord merely said as he ignited the weapon, then proceeded to use the Force to impale Cal through the abdomen with it. 

Cal grunted in pain as his lightsaber seared through his skin, his hands pulling on the hilt until the weapon switched off and BD-1 hopped over to where he was. 

At that moment the double-bladed lightsaber of Trilla came swirling through the air as Cere reappeared from behind the Sith Lord, she slammed the weapon downward but Vader easily blocked it with one hand. 

"I won't let you take those children," she hissed. 

The two exchanged blow after blow, with Cere being pushed back until Vader sent her flying with a upward strike from his weapon. 

"You would have made an excellent Inquisitor," Vader taunted, sensing the anger and darkness within Cere's heart. 

"No! She's stronger than that!" Cal declared, realizing what Vader was trying to do. 

Calling upon the Dark Side of the force for the second time in her life, Cere leaped between the trio and tried to crush Vader with the Force.

Cal's eyes widened in shock when he saw what was happening.

"No! Cere! You _have_ a choice!" he shouted, praying she'd hear him through her anger.

"Master!" Trilla screamed.

Their combined voices broke through the veil of hate clouding Cere's mind and she gasped, staring at her hands in shock while recalling what she had just done. Vader took this chance to knock her out with a Force throw. Cal and Trilla scrambled to Cere's side and the former noticed a weakened panel of glass. He reached out through the Force and gave a pull, watching as the glass cracked to flood the entire corridor with water. With Vader distracted to prevent himself from drowning, Cal and Trilla pulled an unconscious Cere through the broken window and began swimming towards the surface.

With only one breather on hand, Cal gave it to Cere and the two tried their hardest to make it towards the surface.

The last thing Cal remembered was a figure diving down into the water to retrieve them as darkness overtook him.

* * *

Darth Vader, formerly Anakin Skywalker, was _not_ pleased with how things were turning out. When the Second Sister had contacted him in regards to the holocron containing the list of Force-sensitive children, the Sith Lord was pleased with the Inquisitor's progress. She managed to redeem herself after the failed blunder on Bracca, where she and the Ninth Sister allowed the Jedi fugitive to escape.

When he arrived at Fortress Inquisitorius, he was already expecting the Second Sister to be awaiting his arrival with holocron in hand. Instead he was greeted by the Inquisitor's defeat at the hands of said Jedi and her former Master. Anger was the only emotion he felt as he drew his lightsaber, fully prepared to cut her down for her second mistake. Yet that meddling Jedi...no... _Padawan_ had gotten in his way once more.

Now both the Second Sister and the holocron were gone.

The Emperor was _not_ going to be pleased by this.

"My lord, you have a incoming call from the Emperor," one of the Stormtrooper commanders said as he stalked through the corridor of his ship.

He narrowly managed to escape the flooded hallway with his life intact.

"Forgive me Master, I have failed you in this mission."

Emperor Palpatine's hologram flickered in and out of view as the Sith Lord regarded his apprentice.

"Rise my apprentice. I am not displeased with what has happened. I trust you will regain the holocron from that Padawan when the time comes. For now, I have another mission for you."

Vader breathed marginally easier upon hearing his master's voice.

Palpatine normally did not forgive easily but Vader was his personal and favorite apprentice, having turned the 'Chosen One' onto the path of the dark side many years ago.

"What are your orders my master?"

"Return to me and we will discuss this in person," was all Palpatine said before the hologram faded.

* * *

"Hey! Hey wake up kid!" Greez said, standing over Cal aboard the Mantis.

A small groan escaped Cal's lips as his eyes opened groggily.

"Where am I?..." he said.

"You're safe now," Greez told him.

"Cere! Where is she!?" Cal sat up when he remembered what transpired down on the planet.

One of Greez's hands reached out to pat him on the shoulder.

"She's fine, relax kid."

"I have to see her," he got up shakily, holding one hand over the area where he was made to stab himself with his own lightsaber.

Greez indicated towards the couch near the front of the ship and Cal shakily made his way over towards her. He was pleased to see Trilla still aboard the ship, if not still dressed in her Inquisitor outfit and looking _very_ uncomfortably out of place.

"Trilla..."

She looked up when he called her name.

"I...I'm sorry," she finally managed to say, averting her gaze towards the floor of the ship.

Cal and Cere exchanged knowing glances.

"It's alright. I'm glad to see you're back on our side," he said.

"You don't understand. They tortured me and broke my mind! All these years I've held onto the hatred I had for...for my former master and I reveled in nothing except waiting for the chance to kill you."

Cere got up from her seat and went over to stand in front of her former apprentice.

"Trilla, I _never_ should have left you and the Younglings during the Purge. I should have remained by your side, defending you until the last second. If I weren't so weak when I was captured by the Empire...I would have _never_ given you up to be turned into a Inquisitor. I was weak. I was afraid. I thought I was stronger but I was wrong, and that mistake led to your capture and the Younglings killed. Forgive me, for everything that's happened.

Trilla felt the weight behind her former master's words and hearing her admit her mistakes broke through the walls of hatred she had built around her heart. Tears began flowing down her face as Trilla sank to her knees, crying in Cere's embrace. Cal sat himself down beside Merrin to give the two space, and the Nightsister turned her attention to him.

"How are you feeling?" she asked quietly.

"Better...wait, you were the one who was in the water?" he suddenly recalled, eyes widening in shock.

A nod confirmed his words.

"Thanks."

"Isn't this what friends do?"

He gave a small chuckle.

"Yea, friends."

The motion caused him to wince in pain and Merrin reached over to examine the wound.

"Does it hurt?"

"Being stabbed with a lightsaber isn't exactly painless."

Her hands glowed green as magick welled within her palms, and Merrin sent a wave of healing energy over the wound.

The pain vanished the moment her hands stopped glowing.

"Wow, that's actually pretty awesome."

"Cal."

Cere interrupted the two as the Jedi Knight looked up at his master.

"The Holocron?"

Cal retrieved the Holocron from its hiding place and activated it, watching as the list of Force-sensitive children projected itself in front of their eyes.

"The next generation of Jedi..." Cere murmured.

"A hope for the Order," Cal added.

Trilla was silent as she stared at the list.

"What are you going to do?" Cere glanced at her apprentice.

Merrin's words from a while back echoed within his mind and Cal knew what he had to do to protect the next generation. Reaching for his lightsaber hanging on his belt, Cal sliced through the Holocron with a swift, upward stroke while the others said nothing in protest.

"We'll let the Force decide their fates. As for us...let's do what we can to take down or at least, weaken the Empire enough to give the future generation a fighting chance."

"Where to?" Cere inquired.

"Back to Bogano. Maybe Cordova left more clues for us to find that'll lead us on our next path," Cal said.

* * *

The whirl and hum of a lightsaber slashed through the air as Stormtroopers fell against the weapon. Blaster fire were returned to their owners and Purge Troopers toppled one after another. The only light visible in the area was the swirl of twin lightsabers as the wielder sliced their way through an entire battalion in a bid to reach the encrypted communicator lying on the other side of the door.

"Keep firing! Don't let up!"

More barrages of blaster fire converged on their target but were instantly deflected back.

With the last Stormtrooper dead at her feet, Ahsoka Tano sheathed her sabers and took a deep breath. She ran towards the door and snatched the encrypted communicator, inserted it into her own and began to broadcast a message.

"This is Ahsoka Tano, Jedi survivor, I am currently in hiding and sending this message out to any Jedi who can hear me. I will be waiting on Lothal with allies who are fighting against the Empire. If anyone can hear this, I am waiting on Lothal with allies."

Knowing she only had once chance to broadcast the message, Ahsoka yanked the communicator out and destroyed it.

* * *

The atmosphere aboard the Mantis was strange as Trilla joined the group at the kitchen for a meal. Greez decided to whip up his favorite and serve it as a welcoming party of sorts, with Cal volunteering to help him cook.

 _Beep! Bo-beep_ , BD-1 trilled as it perched on Cal's shoulder.

"Yea it's my first time, I tried."

 _Boop_.

"I'll try harder next time, kay buddy?"

BD-1 nodded its head and hopped off Cal's back to go sit near the cockpit.

Trilla tentatively joined the group after changing into a spare outfit Cere had lying around. Cal had to admit she looked a lot less menacing without her Inquisitor outfit on. Seeing her wear normal clothes made Trilla seem more...friendly and approachable. She took a seat beside Cal and picked at the food lying on the plate.

"What's wrong? You don't like my cooking?" Greez looked sad as he picked up his fork.

"Greez!" Cere hissed.

"What? I'm just saying..."

"No. It's just...I haven't had a meal like this in a long time," Trilla finally said.

"Don't they give you food at the fortress?" Cal inquired curiously, taking a bite of his own food.

"Yes but we were separated according to rank. I was the Second Sister so naturally I had my own place...and I always ate alone."

"Oh..."

Cere cleared her throat and changed the subject.

"Trilla, how do ranks work for...Inquisitors?"

"We all serve under the Grand Inquisitor, who answers directly to Lord Vader. My rank is already really high, but I still have to listen to the First Brother if he was around. If he wasn't, then I was the one in charge," Trilla explained.

"No wonder the Ninth Sister followed you instead of giving orders," Cal murmured.

"What happened to her? I know she was sent to either bring you back or kill you on Kashyykk, but we lost contact with her."

The ginger-haired Knight rubbed the back of his neck at that moment.

"I...ran into her atop the Origin Tree and we fought. I managed to slice her hand off but she still tried attacking me. I Force pushed her off the tree and haven't seen her since."

Trilla smirked at this.

"I'm surprised you managed to take her down, she's notorious for using her brute strength in battles."

"She's not as quick as she looks," Cal replied through another bite of steak.

BD-1 started beeping furiously upfront, drawing their attention towards the cockpit as Cal went over to check on the droid.

"Hey BD, what's wrong?"

_Boop! Beep fwoo-dee!_

"Really!?"

"What's he saying?" Cere called out.

"He picked up a encrypted message front one of the outer rim planets controlled by the Empire."

_Beep! Boop-bo beep!_

"Translation?" Greez said, crossing his four arms.

Cal grabbed the droid and rushed over to the table.

"There's a Jedi survivor out there and she's waiting for us on Lothal!"

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review?_

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_Lemme know your thoughts!_

_Celsius Fate~_


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having heard the transmission from Ahsoka regarding Lothal, the crew of the Mantis decide to head there but only after Trilla reforges her own lightsaber. Upon arriving in Illum, Cal and Trilla run into Imperial troops and narrowly escape a second encounter with Darth Vader. Shaken by a vision shown by the Sith Lord, Cal solemnly swears on his master's lightsaber to never walk the path of the dark side....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still fiddling around with the canon/lore/timeline of the story

Cere blinked in shock at what Cal had just said.

"Did you say there's a Jedi survivor?" she whispered, unwilling to believe someone else had managed to escape the Purge.

"BD, play the transmission!"

BD-1 hopped onto the table and played the recording for the group to hear.

" _This is Ahsoka Tano, Jedi survivor. I am currently in hiding and sending this message out to any Jedi who can hear me. I will be waiting on Lothal with allies who are fighting against the Empire. If anyone can hear this, I am waiting on Lothal with allies._ "

The transmission ended there.

"Ahsoka Tano...I thought she was lost during the Clone Wars..." Cere breathed, sinking into her seat in disbelief.

"Who is she?" Cal questioned, patting BD on the head while the little droid made chirping noises.

"She was the Padawan of Anakin Skywalker, the 'Chosen One' destined to bring balance back to the Force."

The Jedi Knight furrowed his brows together in thought. He had heard of Anakin Skywalker back when he was still a Padawan under Master Tapal. Everyone in the Order knew of the Chosen One, how Master Qui-Gon and his apprentice found the boy on the desert planet of Tatooine and brought him back to be trained, despite him being too old under their rules. When Master Qui-Gon was killed by Darth Maul, it was Master Kenobi who became Anakin's Master and started training him in the ways of the Jedi, and he was granted permission to take on a Padawan of his own after reaching the rank of Knight himself.

When the Purge happened three years ago, everyone lost track of Anakin and thought he had perished with the rest of the Order on Coruscant. To think that his apprentice managed to somehow escape the massacre...perhaps they had a fighting chance after all.

"Are we going to follow her advice?"

"What if it's a trap?" Merrin spoke up.

BD made a series of noises at her comment.

"BD says it came from an encrypted channel that's hard to slice. I have a feeling it might be worth looking into." Cere informed the rest.

_Trust only in the Force._

Master Tapal's words echoed within Cal's mind as he contemplated on the validity of the transmission.

"I say we go to Lothal."

"Well then captain, we have our next destination set for us."

* * *

Palpatine was awaiting the arrival of his apprentice within the makeshift throne room aboard the Starfighter. Two Imperial guards stood beside him, ready to protect their master from any threat, not that they needed to do much since Palpatine was a formidable Sith Lord.

"Master, I have arrived."

Vader knelt before Palpatine and lowered his head.

"My apprentice, I wish for you to capture and bring me this Cal Kestis."

"Forgive me for overstepping my boundaries, but for what reason?" Vader was perplexed by his master's sudden request.

"I have seen into this boy's future and he holds limitless potential. I believe he can serve us well as our new Inquisitor...to replace those we have lost."

"But he holds the list of Force-sensitive children, should we not kill him and retake the Holocron to track them down?"

"Ah but you see, if he were to become an Inquisitor, then the Holocron is as good as ours. Perhaps you can personally train him as your own...apprentice so to speak. The boy's connection to the Force is strong, we should make use of that connection to pull him to the dark side."

Vader lowered his head.

"As you wish my master," he breathed, the machines keeping him alive whirring loudly with every breath exhaled.

* * *

Though traveling to Lothal was on their agenda, both Cere and Cal agreed that Trilla needed a lightsaber of her own above all else. The one given to her by the Grand Inquisitor would no longer suffice, and forging her own lightsaber would signify her severance to the dark side. It would also serve as her rebirth into the Jedi Order, despite the Order actually not existing.

"Illum first," Greez said the Lateron hopped back into the pilot seat.

"How will I forge my own lightsaber? I don't have the materials needed..."

Cere took the Inquisitor lightsaber and dismantled it on the workbench at the rear of the Mantis. Then she removed the kyber crystal from within and destroyed it using Cal's lightsaber. Corrupted kyber crystals served no purpose to the Jedi, as their crimson hues were gained through forcing the crystal to bend to its wielder's will through sheer dominance alone. True kyber crystals resonated with each Jedi, and those chosen can hear its "song" in a sense. It was the reason why Younglings were taken to the Crystal Caves on Illum as part of their training. To find their own kyber crystal and turn them into lightsabers was synonymous with their identity as Jedi.

Trilla sat on the couch nervously fiddling with her hands the entire time. Cal sat beside her and used the time to maintain his own lightsaber.

"How did you get your lightsaber?" Trilla couldn't help but ask.

"My master gifted it to me before he passed away during the Purge. I've kept it hidden all those years on Bracca living as a scrapper, until you and the Ninth Sister came along and murdered Prauf, forcing me to use it to defend myself," Cal said, a slight tinge of anger in his voice.

"I-I'm sorry...for killing your friend," she apologized quietly.

Cal took a breath and exhaled it slowly.

"I'm partially to blame. If I hadn't used the Force to save him from a fall and it was caught by a Imperial Probe Droid...Prauf would've never been killed and I could've remained in hiding on Bracca."

"Is that really a way to live though?" Merrin interrupted from across the couch.

He looked at the Nightsister and gave a small smile. They truly were alike in so many ways, with him being one of the last Jedi and she the only remaining Nightsister of Dathomir. If it weren't for the whole ordeal with Talon Malicos, Merrin might not have even considered joining him on his adventure to liberate the galaxy from the Empire's clutches. Her ways of utilizing the Force may not be the same as those of a Jedi, but they came in pretty darn handy.

"No. It wasn't a way to live. I lived in fear for those years I remained on Bracca, constantly looking over my shoulder in case someone discovered my secret. Prauf...he told me to go out and explore the galaxy, to live my own life and I guess what he did was his way of giving me that push I needed."

"You survived," Trilla said.

"Surviving and living are two very different ideologies. I survived yes, but I wasn't living either. Cere and Greez gave me a new lease on life and I'm grateful they did."

Cal gripped his master's lightsaber tightly in his hand as he thought back to the apparition he faced back on Dathomir within Kurjet's tomb. The guilt and regret he carried all these years regarding his master's death haunted him up until that point. When he learned to let go of the past and start moving forward, only then did he truly step on the path towards recovery.

 _Fear leads to the dark side_.

Fear.

That's right.

It was fear that kept him from moving on.

Now he was liberated.

"I wonder if I'll ever learn to forget the past."

He turned to look at her with a smile.

"You will. If I did, then you can too."

Trilla stared at her hands and noticed they were trembling slightly.

"I carried so much hate for my master, for her abandonment and the deaths of the Younglings, but I hated myself the most. I hated how weak I was, for giving in so easily to the torture and the dark side. The horrendous acts I committed as an Inquisitor...killing innocent lives and reveling in it, I hate it. Every time I close my eyes I'm haunted by the spirits of those I killed."

Her hands were covered by Cal's own as he comforted her.

"You came back to the light, that's already your first step back on the right path."

"I hate to interrupt this cozy conversation but we've arrived at Illum," Greez interjected from the cockpit.

* * *

Illum.

Still as icy and cold as Cal's first visit, only this time the storm was gone as they disembarked the Mantis. Warm puffs of air quickly evaporated against the cold winds as Trilla started walking towards the direction of the temple. Cal trailed along quietly and at a distance to give her space, while the others opted to remain for their return on the ship.

"Do you think it'll choose me?" Trilla murmured, quietly trudging through the snow.

"Yes. So long as you've returned to the light, the crystals will choose you."

A tremor erupted from somewhere near the temple, sending a shockwave towards the frozen lake. Trilla and Cal managed to maintain their balance and then looked at one another, the same thought crossing their minds at that point.

"Oh no..."

"The temple!"

The duo rushed towards the temple and noticed a hole had been blasted through the icy cave, followed by the sounds of a crystal crashing to the ground echoing loudly in the air right after. Stormtroopers could be seen within, ransacking anything they could find while large transports flew overhead with more reinforcements and troops.

"They're here to raid the Crystal Caves..." Cal breathed, clenching his hands in anger.

"We need to get inside so I can find my crystal," Trilla said.

Cal stepped over the dune they were using as cover and held his lightsaber in hand.

"I'll distract them, go find the crystal while they're fighting me."

"Will you be alright?"

"I survived fighting against you didn't I? I can handle these guys, now go!"

A blue blade of pure energy emerged from the hilt and Cal ran towards the troops, the entire force converging on Cal the moment they spotted the Jedi charging towards them. Blaster fire reverberated off the walls as Cal deflected beams and parried blows from melee troops.

Trilla took this chance to slip past all the chaos and headed for the Crystal Caves.

* * *

"Is that all you got?" Cal taunted, slicing through another Stormtrooper as another group ran towards him.

"Someone shoot him!" a trooper shouted.

"I can't! He's too fast!"

A sudden shift in the Force alarmed Cal as the troopers suddenly stopped firing at him. The air felt heavy and thick, almost like the same sensation he experienced back on Fortress Inquisitorius.

"Oh no..."

Cal had a feeling he knew what was coming.

The same labored breathing heard previously drew closer and closer until the troopers parted to allow him to enter. Cal had a feeling this must be the Lord Vader that Trilla spoke of earlier. His presence alone was domineering, almost suffocating as Cal struggled to breath. He gripped his lightsaber tightly with both hands and activated the second blade, taking on a defensive stance.

He knew he wouldn't stand a chance, but fighting might give Trilla the time she needed to find her crystal.

"Cal Kestis, former Padawan of Jaro Tapal, a renegade Jedi who had been hiding out on the planet Bracca while barely scraping a living as a scrapper."

This sudden knowledge of his background caught Cal off-guard.

"I know everything about you Cal Kestis. It would be wise for you to surrender yourself and the Holocron to me. If you do so obediently, I shall perhaps spare the lives of your dear friends aboard the ship...and that traitorous Second Sister who betrayed the Inquisitors."

"Leave them alone!" Cal angrily yelled, running forward with his lightsaber in hand.

Vader easily placed him in a choke-hold with the Force with the momentum knocking Cal's lightsaber free. The Jedi Knight struggled against the choke-hold, but Vader's use of the Force was too strong for him to break. Ever so slowly as if to torture him, Vader pulled Cal closer and closer until they were a mere feet apart from one another. Emerald eyes flicked desperately over towards the fallen lightsaber and Cal reached out with the Force, struggling to call his weapon back to his side.

"Surrender yourself to the dark side and become my apprentice."

"N-Never!" Cal spat defiantly.

Catching movement out of his peripheral vision, Cal saw Trilla quietly making her way up a icy ledge that stretched out over where they were directly. In her hand was her reforged lightsaber, which mean she must have found her chosen kyber crystal.

"You cannot escape me. This is your final chance, Cal Kestis. Submit or death will be your only salvation," Vader said.

"I-In y-your dreams!" he gasped.

"So be it," Vader unsheathed his lightsaber and prepared to strike.

Trilla jumped into the air and the glow of a blue lightsaber appeared as she attempted to strike at the Sith Lord. Having sensed the preemptive strike through the Force, Vader turned around and stopped her easily through the Force as well.

"Pity. I had such high hopes for you," Vader said to a struggling Trilla.

Cal's lightsaber responded at that moment to his pull and slapped into his hand. Quickly activating his weapon with a push of the button, the Jedi Knight slashed upward towards Vader's hand, severing the hold placed around his neck.

He crumpled to the ground and gasped in deep breaths of air, then rushed over to where Trilla was. She was also taking in big breaths of air after the sudden attack broke through Vader's concentration. He turned his attention towards the Sith Lord and noticed electrical wires sparking in place of where tendons should be.

"Cybernetics?..." he breathed in shock.

"Cal, we need to go!"

"R-Right!"

The two of them scrambled to their feet and starting running towards the exit, deflecting blaster shots along the way from their direction.

"Lord Vader, shall we give chase?" a commander asked.

"No. Let them have their little victory for now. I trust Cal Kestis will seek me out...on his own volition," Vader turned and started heading back towards his personal TIE fighter. Replacing his missing limb was more important than chasing after fugitives.

* * *

Cere and Merrin were absorbed in a deep conversation when Cal and Trilla burst up through the ramp door, interrupting their talk and scaring the living daylights out of the former as she looked at their disheveled appearances.

"What happened?" she demanded, rushing over to help them.

Greez immediately shut the door and took off from the lake.

"We ran into Vader...they were there to mine the Crystal Caves!" Cal gasped, rolling onto his back while gasping for air.

"You ran into him yet again and managed to survive?!" Cere didn't know whether to be happy or shocked at the news.

"He was distracted," Trilla coughed, rubbing her neck from beside Merrin.

"Did you find your kyber crystal?" Cere asked of her former apprentice.

Trilla lifted her reforged lightsaber, made from Inquisitor pieces, in response to the question and Cere gave her a smile.

"Good. The Force did not abandon you, and you were able to reforge your lightsaber."

"I guess I'm still a Jedi after all," Trilla mused.

"Trilla, you will _always_ be a Jedi."

Cal excused himself and went back to his room to meditate and clear his mind. However, no matter how hard he tried to concentrate, he couldn't get the image Vader showed him out of his mind.

An image of him standing beside the Sith Lord, clad in the tell-tale robes of a Inquisitor and holding a helmet beneath his arm, his eyes _burning_ with hatred and darkness as a horrified Cere and Trilla screamed his name.

"I _will not_ let myself fall to the dark side," he promised, holding BD-1 in his hands.

 _Boop-beep-do-fwee_.

"That's right little buddy. I'm stronger than that, I won't be tempted by the dark side. I _won't_ become an Inquisitor."

That would mean his master sacrificed himself for nothing.

"I am Cal Kestis, Jedi Knight, and I swear on Master Tapal's lightsaber I _will not_ be tempted by evil and darkness," he murmured, holding his lightsaber with both hands and taking deep breaths to calm his mind.

 _Trust only in the Force_.

The Force will guide him on the right path.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review?_

_Thanks everyone for the kudos and comments!_

_Keep them coming!_

_I love reading what you guys think!_

_See you next time._

_Celsius Fate~_


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group heads for Lothal to rendezvous with Ahsoka after receiving her message. Cere takes the opportunity to knight Trilla as a sign of her rebirth into the Jedi Order. The group learns the rebels on Lothal are searching for their own missing Jedi friend, a human male by the name of Ezra Bridgers. Darth Vader promotes a new group of Inquisitors and Cal discovers Vader's hold on him through the Force is stronger than he thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still playing around with the lore/canon/timeline of the story

Cere sat beside her former apprentice and watched quietly as the latter polished her lightsaber with a spare piece of cloth lying around. A part of her swelled with pride at seeing Trilla back on the correct path, but another part of her constantly worried about a relapse into the dark side should the opportunity arise. Once you tap into the dark side, the pull will always forever be there, alluring and seducing endlessly for one to embrace. The fight back with Vader when she tapped into the dark side for the second time was proof enough of its seductive powers.

If it weren't for Cal and Trilla yelling her name, Cere would most likely have given in to her anger.

Now another dilemma was starting to plague her.

She had a dream of a Inquisitor-turned Cal standing beside Vader and the Emperor, his eyes oozing with hatred and darkness.

Cal cannot fall to the dark side, she'll die making sure he remains in the light.

"What's going to happen now?" Trilla asked, breaking Cere's train of thought as she looked at the latter.

"We're going to Lothal to meet with Ahsoka. If what the transmission said was true about us having allies, perhaps we stand a fighting chance against the Empire after all."

"I know...but what about me? About us?" Trilla looked at Cere.

"What of us?" Cere's heart pounded rapidly against her chest.

"Can we go back to how things were in the past? You my master and I as your Padawan? Or is that no longer possible because the Order doesn't exist?"

Those were the words Cere had been waiting to hear from Trilla all this time. She held her disciple's hands within hers and blinked back tears. The Force worked in mysterious and unfathomable ways, perhaps this was a second chance granted to the two of them? To right the wrongs and finish their path together, once more as Master and Apprentice. She had never taken on Cal formally as her Padawan, and she was sure Cal saw her as a informal master instead. This meant she could still take Trilla back.

"Do you wish to be?" she whispered.

"Yes. It's all I want," Trilla replied.

"Then I am your Master and you are my Padawan, though your skills far surpass those of an apprentice. Give me your lightsaber," Cere said.

Trilla handed it over and Cere ignited it, watching as a blue blade emerged from the hilt of the weapon.

"Kneel down," she instructed.

The latter did as asked.

"By the right of the Council, by the will of the Force, Trilla Suduri, you may rise, Jedi Knight."

Cal reappeared just in time to see what was going on and smiled as Trilla stood up.

"So that makes two of us as Knights," he said with a grin.

"It feels strange to not go through the official Jedi Trials to attain the rank of a Knight," Trilla said, hanging her weapon back on her belt.

"These are desperate times," Cere commented, looking at the two with pride in her eyes.

"We're going to take off! Prepare yourselves for hyper jump," Greez shouted from up front.

* * *

-Lothal-

The Mantis exited from hyper space to see the looming planet of Lothal just in the distance. Cere was surprised to see the blockade around the planet was no longer there, there was not a sign of any Imperial fleet or troops in orbit at all. She exchanged a brief look with the Lateron and Greez pushed the thrusters into full power, flying them through the atmosphere.

"This is Lothal?"

"What's left of it," Cere said bitterly, "The Empire's greed knows no bounds and their actions have almost stripped the planet bare of its natural resources. I traveled here once, when I was still a Padawan under Cordova's tutelage. I remember Lothal being a beautiful, terrestrial planet with grassy plains and shallow freshwater seas. Now the planet is barren and lost its former glory."

Cal was watching the radar beside Greez when it picked up a signal.

"Up ahead. I think there's a landing pad we can use," he said.

"Are you sure it's safe kid?"

BD-1 made a series of beeps.

"BD says the signal is the same as the transmission from Ahsoka."

"Which means she's the one who's sending out the coordinates for us to land," Cere said.

Greez grunted in response at this and landed the Mantis on the landing pad.

A group of people rushed out from several angles to greet them as the entourage exited down the ramp, only to find weapons being pointed in their direction.

"Halt! Who goes there!" a female Twi'lek demanded, her blaster trained on them.

Cere stepped up front and acted as the group's speaker.

"I am Cere Junda. These are my companions, Jedi Knights Cal Kestis and Trilla Suduri. We have received a message from Ahsoka Tano telling us to go to Lothal," she explained, locking eyes with the Twi'lek.

"Jedi!?"

"Did she say Jedi Knights!?"

Voices of disbelief began murmuring and whispering among themselves as the group still remained cautious.

"Prove yourselves as Jedi!"

Both Cal and Trilla ignited their weapons simultaneously, twin blades of blue energy whirring to life as the distinct sounds of a lightsaber's hum resounding loudly in the air. Upon seeing the weapons and conferring with her allies briefly, the Twi'lek lowered her weapon and stepped out to greet them.

"I apologize for what just happened. Lothal was recently freed from the Empire's grasp and we feared retaliation. I am Hera Syndulla, leader of the Spectres."

"Pleasure to meet your acquaintance," Cere said as they shook hands.

Their introduction was cut short by the arrival of another ship landing beside the Mantis. The cockpit slid open to reveal a Togruta female wearing a cloak, and she quickly got off the aircraft to greet Hera.

"Ahsoka! You're finally back," Hera said as she hugged the Jedi.

"I managed to shake the fighters off my tail," Ahsoka replied, returning the gesture.

"You really did survive..." Cere murmured.

Ahsoka turned her attention to the group and seemed to recognize Cere.

"Master Junda? You're alive?" she said, throwing her arms around the human in relief.

"I can say the same about you. I'm glad to see you haven't fallen like the others," Cere answered.

"And who might these two be?" the Togruta Jedi indicated towards Cal and Trilla.

"This is Cal Kestis and Trilla Suduri, Jedi Knights who also managed to escape the Purge."

Neither said a word when Cere deliberately withheld Trilla's former identity as the Second Sister from the rebel fighters. The last thing they needed was a misunderstanding which would no doubt lead to a fight.

"I knew there were more Jedis out there who survived the Purge!"

"We intercepted your transmission and that's what led us here," Cal said.

"Glad to know it actually reached someone. I had to fight through several battalions of Stormtroopers to get the encrypted communicator," Ahsoka said, as if it were normal to fight several battalions of Stormtroopers on a daily basis.

"So what are you going to do? Do you have a plan to push back the Empire?" Cere eagerly asked.

At this Ahsoka and Hera's expressions shifted.

"We need to gather more allies before even thinking of striking the Empire. Ahsoka has another important mission she must complete as well," Hera informed them.

"What mission?"

"To find another Jedi by the name of Ezra Bridgers. If it weren't for his sacrifice, Lothal wouldn't have been freed from the Empire's control."

"Sacrifice? You make it sound like he's dead or something," Cal said.

Ahsoka shot him a dark look.

"I know he's still alive. I can sense it through the Force. I just have to find and bring him home," she replied calmly.

* * *

Fortress Inquisitorius was the first place Darth Vader headed for after leaving the Emperor's personal Starfighter. After the deaths of so many Inquisitors, he had to replace their ranks and send them out to continue searching for signs of Jedi or Force-sensitive children. Awaiting his arrival was the Grand Inquisitor, a former Jedi Temple Guard who turned to the dark side. While he was the overseer of all Inquisitors, the Grand Inquisitor answered to him and him alone.

"Have you done what I asked?" Vader stopped in front of his subordinate.

"Yes my lord. Those I have deemed ready to be promoted as Inquisitors are on the other side of this room," the latter replied.

Vader stepped up to the window and pressed a button on the panel that allowed him to see into the other side. The newest recruits to be Inquisitors came from various races including Twi'lek, Mirialan and even Togruta. Each of them looked menacing and ready to wield the dark side of the Force to its fullest extent. Vader nodded his head in approval and motioned with a hand. Stormtroopers emerged from an airlock opposite the recruits and stood in front of them carrying a tray. Lying atop were the signature Inquisitor outfits and double-bladed lightsabers.

"You have passed the test and haven been selected personally by the Grand Inquisitor. You will answer directly to him and carry out your orders without question. I will now grant you your ranks," Vader spoke over the intercom.

One of the females stepped forward and bowed to the Sith Lord.

"I grant you the title of Second Sister, may you bear the title better than your predecessor."

"I will not tarnish the title you have given this day, my lord Vader."

The newly appointed Second Sister took her outift and weapon from the Stormtrooper.

One by one Vader went down the line, granting the recruits the rank of Third Sister, Fourth Brother, Fifth Sister, Sixth Brother, Seventh Brother, Eighth Brother and Ninth Sister.

"My lord, the First Brother has chosen to commit suicide in his last mission which resulted in a failure. Are you not going to replace him with a suitable candidate?" the Grand Inquisitor spoke up, noticing how Vader left that rank void.

"I have someone in mind for that rank, but first I must personally bring him over to the dark side. Until further orders, the First position is to remain empty until the time comes."

"Understood my lord," the latter bowed and escorted the Sith Lord out of the room.

 _Cal Kestis, you will come to me and I will grant you the rank of First Brother. You shall fight by my side as my apprentice, and together we will rule the galaxy with an iron fist..._.

* * *

As much as Cal wanted to stay and exchange experiences as Jedi on the run with Ahsoka, the Togruta female departed immediately to find her fellow friend to continue their search for missing friend Ezra. With a promise to return to Lothal soon to aid in the restoration and rebuilding of the planet, the crew departed to head for Bogano in search of missing information that Cordova may have hidden.

Cal took the opportunity to meditate.

However this time it felt like another presence was trying to slither its way into his mind, and Cal discovered he was placed in a Force-Hold, unable to move his limbs nor utter a sound. The presence reeked heavily of the dark side, so much it nearly sent the Knight reeling in disgust. This was not like the visions he had of his Master. Jaro Tapal's presence had always been comforting, like a warm flame on a cold night, silently guiding Cal on the right path.

No.

This presence felt like it wanted to devour every part of his being.

 _**Cal Kestis, you cannot resist the pull of the dark side. Come and join me as my apprentice. I will teach you everything and anything you want to know** _ **.**

_Get. Out. Of. My. Head!_

Darth Vader's essence chuckled in amusement and tightened his control over Cal's mind, with the former feeling the imprints of fingers on the back of his head, digging deep into his brain.

**_Tell me where you are, and I will send my troops to bring you back unharmed._ **

_No! I'd rather die than join the dark side!_

**_You cannot escape me, young Jedi. Your connection to the Force is strong, and it is through the Force that I will always find you. I can sense your hatred for yourself, the fact that you failed to save your Master, your own weakness as a Padawan, and why the clone troops betrayed you. Try as you might, the anger buried deep within your heart will always surface to the top. Let those emotions guide you._**

_Get out!_ Cal demanded, gathering energy from the Force to forcefully separate him and Vader from their shared limbo world.

A burst of Force energy welled up from within Cal's body and exploded outwards mentally, knocking Darth Vader's hold free and sending Cal's consciousness tumbling into the darkness until a pair of hands woke him from his trance.

"Cal! Cal! Open your eyes."

Green eyes snapped open to find mirroring emerald orbs watching him in concern. It took several moments for Cal to register Trilla was currently kneeling in front of him, distress and worry clearly evident on her face. She had heard the commotion BD was making and went towards the back to see what was going on. That's when she discovered him in the state he was in, and immediately realized what was going on. 

"Are you alright?" she repeated once Cal managed to catch his breath.

"B-Bad dream," he gasped, feeling a wetness trickling down the side of his lips.

His fingertips came away crimson.

Blood.

"You're bleeding," she said.

Cal stood up abruptly and slammed the bathroom door behind before Trilla could even ask what was going on.

"Cal? Are you sure you're alright?" she asked from the other side.

"I'm fine! Just need a moment," he called back, leaning against the cool metal frame.

He wiped the blood off his lips with the back of his hand and stared at his reflection in the mirror.

Vader's hold was getting stronger, and Cal's focus was starting to slip. He couldn't let Vader win this battle. He wouldn't give the Sith Lord the satisfaction of him turning into a Inquisitor. He swore on his master's lightsaber to never walk down that path, but now...now he wasn't so sure if he could uphold that promise.

"You swore you wouldn't let this happen. Cal Kestis, you're stronger than you think! Fight it! Don't let Vader tempt you with empty promises," he scolded, frowning at his reflection.

After several moments of silence Cal solidified his resolve.

_There is no emotion, there is peace._

"Never again," he vowed.

Perhaps it was time for him to learn how to strengthen his connection further to prevent Vader from trying to invade his mind. Maybe Cere would know what to do. Once this trip to Bogano was over, he'll ask her if she knew any techniques to prevent an enemy from invading their consciousness mentally.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Thoughts? Comments? Concerns?_

_Thanks for all the love shown to this story so far!_

_I promise to keep going with your support!_

_See you all next time!_

_Celsius Fate~_


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vader sends his Inquisitors after Ahsoka and Cal after learning his former Padawan survived the Purge. On Bogano, Cere and Cal discover Cordova did indeed leave another piece of hope for them to fight back against the Empire. 
> 
> A list of Jedi who went into hiding prior to the Purge. 
> 
> They must journey to Naboo to retrieve the holocron key from the Gungan leader in order to access the archives at the Imperial Army occupied Jedi Temple.....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still playing around with the lore/canon/characters of the story

The boy's connection to the Force was a strong one, there was no doubt about it as Vader stood up from the kneeling position he had taken within the privacy of his room. The ability to sever the connection he had was no easy feat for a normal Jedi to do. Years of experience with utilizing the dark side and his former training as a Jedi Padawan under Obi-Wan Kenobi has turned the Sith Lord into a formidable user of the Force. To meet someone who can use the Force the way Cal did, to mentally push his consciousness out of the shared limbo world he had created, intrigued the Sith Lord to no end in that matter.

He was starting to understand why his master wanted Cal Kestis brought back alive.

He would indeed make an excellent Inquisitor.

The only question was _how_ to bring the boy over to the dark side.

It could be feasible to target one of his close comrades, maybe capture and torture the traitorous Second Sister while forcing the boy to watch. Yes, that would crack the boy's mind, leaving him vulnerable to the dark side.

"My lord? I have a urgent report," a knock on the other side of the door interrupted Vader's thoughts.

The Sith Lord exited the room and started walking down the hallway with the commander scrambling to keep up.

"What is it?" he said calmly.

"We received reports that a lone Jedi managed to break through the 103rd battalion and made off with one of our encrypted communicators," the commander nervously reported.

Vader stopped in his tracks and cocked his head to look at the trembling clone.

"And you did _nothing_ to stop her?"

"All the reinforcements were wiped out easily! W-We stood no chance against her."

Her.

So the Jedi was a female?

"Commander, for your sake and mine, you better have a good description of this Jedi so my Inquisitors can clean up your mess."

"W-We managed to identify the Jedi as Ahsoka Tano, the one who killed the Sixth Brother on Rhaada."

Hearing the name Ahsoka caught Vader completely off-guard as the Sith Lord stood there briefly without a word.

"M-My lord?"

"You are dismissed," Vader abruptly said, leaving a perplexed Stormtrooper Commander behind.

Ahsoka Tano.

His former Padawan prior to his transformation as Darth Vader.

How long has it been since he last heard her name being uttered?

Prior to the Jedi Purge which he had a hand in orchestrating, Vader had not seen nor heard from his former Padawan after she left the Jedi Order. So she managed to not only survive the Purge, but took down the Sixth Brother and sabotaged his other plans secretly from the shadows. It seems he would have to face her eventually, but he'll deal with that when the time comes.

Finding Cal Kestis was his top priority.

The Grand Inquisitor felt his presence being summoned through the Force and appeared at his lord's side in mere moments.

"You called for me my lord?"

"Send the Third Sister and Eighth Brother to search for signs of Jedi fugitive Ahsoka Tano. I want the Fourth Brother and Fifth Sister tracking down Cal Kestis and his crew. Should they make contact with their target, they are to leave Cal Kestis _unharmed_ and to bring him back to Fortress Inquisitorius."

"What of the traitor Second Sister?"

"Bring her back as well. I have plans for her...as for the others, kill them and dispose of their bodies."

"Understood my lord."

His subordinate disappeared from his side to summon the chosen Inquisitors. Darth Vader continued walking down the narrow hallway towards the bridge of the Venator-class Starfighter.

It was time to start moving the pieces into play.

* * *

Everyone was looking at Cal with concern when he emerged from the bathroom a while later, having taken a long shower in an attempt to wash away signs of Vader's presence on his body. The hot water scalded his skin but soothed him at the same time as he stood under the stream, just letting it cascade over every part of him until the heat became unbearable.

He came out with a towel around his hair and found eight pairs of eyes watching him.

"Something the matter?" he asked, slightly startled by their intense stares.

"Trilla told us you were bleeding earlier, did something happen?" Cere replied, her eyes burning a hole right through him.

"It's nothing. I just had a bad dream," he rebuffed, rubbing his hair with the towel.

"A bad dream doesn't cause bleeding," Cere continued.

"It's nothing alright? Stop asking me!" Cal slammed a hand against the side of the ship, alarming the others as they took hasty steps backwards.

Realizing what he had just done and his temper lashed out, Cal closed his eyes and took several deep breaths.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that," he apologized.

Cere dismissed the others from the area but Merrin paused slightly to look back over her shoulder, then followed after Trilla towards the kitchen where Greez said he was going to cook them something to eat.

"Come, sit with me."

Cal sat himself beside Cere on the stairs and ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

"Cal, tell me what's going on so I can help you."

The ginger-haired Knight sighed into his hands and stared at the stairs.

"He's getting into my head," he finally said quietly.

"Who? Vader?"

"Yea."

Cere sucked in a sharp breath at this.

"You must learn to resist his pull! You cannot allow yourself to fall to the dark side," Cere said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I know! But every time I try to meditate, I can feel his presence lurking in the Force, searching for signs of where I am! If I keep this up, I'll endanger the entire crew!"

"Which is why you must learn to clear your mind of any and all influences when you meditate! Empty your mind of all thoughts and focus only on the light, on the Force and how you can strengthen your connection with it. Remember Cal, trust only in the Force."

Her words echoed those of his master's aboard the escape pod back when he was still a Padawan.

"Master Tapal said the same thing before he passed away," he said, lifting his head up.

"Your master is right. The Force cannot lead you astray from your destined path. Resist the influence and push Vader from your mind. You can do this Cal, I know you can."

Hearing those words from Cere's mouth was comforting for Cal as he gave her a smile.

"Thanks Cere. I promise I'll do my best."

* * *

-Bogano-

The very place Cere first took Cal to which led to his journey across the galaxy will always hold a special place within Cal's heart. This was the place where he met BD-1 and learned of the Zeffo vault. This was the place where he rediscovered his power and healed his connection to the Force. This was also the only place where the Imperial Army would never touch, and the stray soldiers sent here were no match for his skills now that he was a full-fledged Knight.

"Cordova liked to leave hints in the most conspicuous of places," Cere said as they jumped and made their way around the area.

BD-1 hopped off Cal's shoulder and stood in front of a sculpture.

"What is it buddy?"

_Boop-beep-fwee-do!_

The little droid played a hologram of Cordova for the others to see.

_My dear friend, if you are hearing this message then it means you must have done what was needed to protect the future generation of Jedi from the Empire. You have my thanks for safeguarding the lives of all those children. However, do not despair as there is still something you can do to ensure the futures of all those children on the list._

"I knew it! Cordova did have something else planned for us," Cere said as she stared at her deceased master's hologram.

_Prior to the Great Purge and the betrayal of the clone troops, I managed to convince several members of the Jedi Council about this looming threat. Masters Yoda and Windu agreed this threat was too great to ignore and ordered the Jedi who were not in command of a battalion of Stormtroopers to hide and bide their time. They made a list of these surviving Jedi and hid it within the secret archives of the Jedi Temple. Now, I suspect the Imperial Army would have most certainly occupied the Temple in hopes of learning our secrets and techniques, but the secret archives can only be activated with a special holocron key. The key was entrusted to me for safekeeping and I have hidden it on the planet Naboo._

"Naboo..." Cal had heard of the planet back when he was studying with Jaro Tapal.

_Seek out the Gungans and show them this recording, the leader will understand and give you the key._

The recording ended there and Cal exchanged looks with Cere.

"Looks like we're heading to Naboo."

* * *

Back on board the Mantis, Merrin was meditating while holding her coven's relic between both hands. All these talks about restoring the Jedi Order and leaving everything to the Force perplexed the Nightsister, but at least her usage of the Force wasn't that foreign a concept to her. All the Nightsisters of Dathomir possessed a special connection to the mysterious power everyone called the Force, but only instead of using it the way Jedi do, they harnessed its power through rituals and magick.

If only she knew the truth behind the massacre of her coven.

That was the only issue that plagued her endlessly.

Talon Malicos' statement about the Jedi being responsible for the massacre of her people was clearly a lie. After observing and watching Cal through his journey across Dathomir, Merrin had come to the realization that not all Jedi are as bad as she thought initially. Cal's willingness to give her his lightsaber, knowing she could've easy pushed the button to attack him with, was proof enough of his sincere intentions back then.

Having a lightsaber didn't make you a Jedi.

It was the values and ideologies passed down that made someone a Jedi.

Someone clearing their throat in the background broke Merrin out of her trance as she opened her eyes. Greez was standing a considerable distance away as he warily stared at the glowing relic in her hand.

"W-What are you uh...doing exactly?" the Lateron tentatively asked.

"I'm meditating. It helps clear my mind and controls my powers," she explained, unfolding her legs to stand up.

Trilla walked over with a bottle of water in hand, taking a sip from the top while sitting herself down beside the Nightsister.

"We were never properly introduced..." she trailed off.

"Merrin. I'm a Nightsister of Dathomir, though I'm probably the only Nightsister left after the massacre of my coven."

"What happened to your coven?"

The day her coven was slaughtered was still freshly embedded within Merrin's mind. For hundreds of years, the Nightsisters of Dathomir live peacefully as the practiced their magick in secret. Everything changed the day Mother Talzin began offering the Nightsisters services as assassins, along with one of their fellow sisters leaving the coven to pursue the ways of the Jedi.

Asajj Ventress.

Her fellow sister who became the apprentice of Count Dooku.

Mother Talzin took her back into the coven when Asajj returned, hellbent on getting revenge on her former master.

Then again, this was when she was still but a child.

"They were killed. By who or what I do not know. Talon Malicos told me the Jedi were the ones responsible, which was why I harbored hatred against them. Cal proved that the Jedi weren't to blame, and I decided to explore the galaxy, which is why I decided to join his crew."

"General Grevious," Trilla said quietly.

"Pardon?"

"General Grevious was the one responsible for what happened on Dathomir."

"I see...thank you for telling me," Merrin got off the couch and disappeared inside to her room.

* * *

Cal and Cere returned to the Mantis to find an awkward atmosphere hanging in the air. Greez was quietly cooking something in the kitchen, leaving Trilla to polish her lightsaber at the table in front of the couch.

Merrin was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Merrin?" Cal asked, grabbing a can of water to drink from.

"She's in her room," Greez replied without looking up from the stove.

"Did something happen?" Cere sat down beside her apprentice.

"I told her who was responsible for the massacre of her people."

"Uh oh..." Cal had a feeling things didn't turn out as expected.

"We should give her some space to...do whatever it is she needs," Cere suggested.

Greez placed four plates on the table at that moment and everyone went over to sit around, the Lateron left one plate out for Merrin and covered it in case she wanted to eat it later. The smell of exotic spices was something Cal enjoyed as he began eating the steak.

"So where are we going to next?"

"Naboo. We found another recording from Cordova regarding a list of Jedi who are in hiding."

"Naboo huh...haven't been there since my younger days," Greez rubbed his chin with one hand and smiled fondly at distant memories.

"We're leaving when we finish this meal," Cere said, giving the two Knights that look.

Neither Cal nor Trilla objected.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review?_

_The gang is off to Naboo!_

_Let's see how things turn out when they arrive eh ;)_

_See you all next time!_

_Celsius Fate~_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said, I'm still playing around with the lore/canon/characters of the story so if things seem a bit out of place, I apologize but I'm trying my best to make it fit into the story XD. Please don't butcher me or anything. Now I know most of the Jedi were killed during the Purge since they were in charge of their own battalion of Stormtroopers, but let's just say some Jedi did go into hiding for the sake of my story (I did tag this as AU-Canon divergence for a reason) 
> 
> Also, anyone know a way I can bring back Yoda? XD (Baby Yoda from The Mandalorian is so freaking adorable! I know he's not actually Yoda but everyone on the internet calls him Baby Yoda lol. Anyone else agree with me? XD)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What was meant to be a short trip to Naboo turns deadly when Cal, Trilla and Cere have a run-in with the newly appointed Second Sister Aveena, former rival of Trilla prior to her betraying the Inquisitors....

Naboo.

The only planet to prosper and flourish while other planets were not spared the same luxury. Emperor Palpatine certainly did not neglect his homeworld after the Empire came to exist. It was clearly evident just how well off the planet was doing when the Mantis exited from hyperspace to find their destination full of colors. There was no signs of a blockade or the Imperial Army's ships anywhere, which made it that much easier for Greez to land his ship without fear of being shot at.

"Naboo is certainly well off," Cere muttered, staring out the windows as the ship broke through the atmosphere.

"It is the Emperor's home planet after all. It would be more surprising if he chose to neglect this place," Greez commented.

"Home planet or not, how can he do this while other planets suffer far worse fates?" Cal said from beside the Lateron.

"All the more reason to take him down and restore peace to the galaxy."

"Hang on," Greez pulled the ship over to one of the hangars.

A group of soldiers were there to meet the crew when they disembarked from the Mantis. Cere had warned Cal and Trilla beforehand to hide their lightsabers somewhere inconspicuous to avoid drawing attention to themselves, as this was the homeworld of Palpatine. The residents here would most likely be informed about the Jedi being traitors.

"Halt! State your business," one of the guards said.

"We wish to speak with the Queen of Naboo in regards to an urgent matter," Cere responded, subtly waving her hand in front of the guard.

Cal and Trilla recognized this as being one of the Jedi mind tricks to persuade someone into doing their bidding.

The guard blinked several times and then gave a nod.

"This way," he turned and started walking, his fellow soldiers giving each other perplexed looks but followed after their captain nonetheless.

All around the group could see people well-dressed and walking through the streets of Naboo while engaged in conversation with one another. Even the stalls that sold various goods were filled to the brim with exotic merchandise from other worlds, ones with connections to the Galactic Empire no doubt. Seeing all these people living comfortably sickened Cal the more he looked.

"How can these people be living like this when many other planets are either stripped bare or slaughtered?" he whispered under his breath.

"Calm yourself or you'll jeopardize the entire meeting," Cere warned from the front.

Her words allowed Cal to focus himself as the group followed after the guards, taking several passageways until they reached the palace where the queen resided. In the courtyard stood a statue of a former Naboo Queen, and flowers were placed all around the pedestal of the sculpture, a tribute to one of their most beloved rulers.

Cal was able to make out the name written on the plaque.

_Queen Padme Amidala, beloved ruler and Senator of Naboo._

"Wait here," the guard ordered after leaving the group in the courtyard while he went inside to report.

The trio surveyed the surrounding areas and noticed the lack of droids or Stormtroopers around. No doubt the Emperor felt no one would be foolish enough to try and attack his homeworld.

"Queen Apailana awaits you within," the guard announced.

* * *

The Queen of Naboo sat on her throne surrounded by her handmaidens as the guard escorted the trio inside to speak with her. Despite being elected at the age of thirteen, Apailana was wise and sufficient for her age, having looked up to her predecessor Amidala for guidance when she was young girl. Ever since Amidala passed away (the Jedi declared responsible for the act), Apailana had been secretly researching the truth behind her death. What she discovered shook the Queen to the very core of her being, but she had no power to act so long as the Empire existed.

"We greet you, your majesty."

Cere, Cal and Trilla bowed to the Queen.

"You may leave us," Apailana dismissed everyone from the room despite the protests of her guards.

With the guards gone from the room, Apailana focused her attention on the trio.

"Speak your minds. There is no one else here aside from us," she said with a warm smile.

"Your Majesty...it seems you may have been...expecting our arrival of sorts," Cere didn't know where to begin.

"You three are Jedi."

Apailana's deduction of the three's status stunned them into silence.

"Do not worry. I am not your enemy. If I was, you wouldn't be standing here right now. I know the Jedi are not traitors of Republic like the Emperor has declared. You are safe here on Naboo, you have my word."

"Then forgive me for getting directly to the point. We wish to speak with the Gungan leader regarding a matter of utmost importance."

"The Gungans reside within the oceans of Naboo and traveling there is not an easy endeavor."

"It's one we're willing to take," Cal interrupted.

The Queen regarded the three for a moment and leaned back against her throne.

"Very well. I will have the captain escort you to the edge of the city where the swamps are. Follow the trail deeper and you'll come across a lake of sorts. You'll need breathers to dive into the water, do the three of you have?"

"Only I do," Cal said thanks to Mari giving him one back on Kashyykk.

"Then I will have two provided for your companions. I also must warn you not to reveal your statuses as Jedi outside of this room. Many of my people are under the impression they are the enemies of the Republic. The Emperor has eyes and ears everywhere on Naboo, save for the palace since he believes I am following his orders. Even I cannot help you if your statuses are revealed, and I'll have no choice but you turn you over to the Empire. I know this sounds cruel, but I must put my people first above all else."

"We understand your majesty, we have no intentions of revealing who we are."

"Thank you."

The same guard from earlier was summoned and tasked with escorting the trio to the edge of the city where the oceans were located.

* * *

Naboo's oceans were full of dangerous creatures but the area where the Gungans resided were relatively peaceful and devoid of such creatures thanks to their patrol groups which would scare off any that came too close to their homes. As a result Cal, Cere and Trilla had a short but peaceful swim towards the bubble domed homes where the Gungans lived.

The Gungans accepted their arrival warmly largely thanks in part to the efforts of the deceased Queen Amidala and their representative Jar Jar Binks. The previous Boss of the Gungans, Rugar Nass, established a friendly alliance with the people of Naboo after they pushed back the Trade Federation from taking their beloved home.

Boss Lyonie welcomed them with open arms after one of the guards brought them before their leader.

"Welcome, how may wesa be of help to yousa?" the Boss said with a smile.

"BD, you're up buddy."

The little droid hopped off Cal's shoulder and landed in front of the Gungan boss. Lyonie cocked his head to the side questioningly and watched a hologram of Cordova appear before his eyes. Once the hologram ended, Lyonie leaned back in his chair and spoke quietly to a guard standing beside him. The guard gave a bow of his head and rushed off towards one of the pods connected to the one they were currently in.

"Wesa have this holocron key yousa seeking. Master Cordova told wesa Boss Gungans to keep safe. Now itsa time to return it to yousa, to save the Jedi."

"I am aware of the deeds of Master Qui-Gon and Master Kenobi when they first arrived on Naboo. It was with their help that the people of Naboo and the Gungans were able to become friends and allies," Cere said.

"Boss Nass wasa good Boss, but he step down and now mesa Boss. Wesa still friends with da Naboo. Tell mesa something though, yousa are Jedi no? Yousa not afraid of Empire?"

"It's time we fought back against the Empire and their hold across the galaxy. To do that, we need to gather the other Jedi who have hidden themselves prior to the Jedi Purge," Cere answered.

"Yousa no need to be afraid. Wesa hates da Empire like yousa do. Wesa help da Jedi restore peace to da galaxy."

The same guard returned bearing a small holocron in his hands which glowed blue beneath the sun's rays. He handed this over to Lyonie, and the Boss gave it to Cere who took the key with a small bow.

"Thank you for this."

* * *

Cal was the first to sense a ripple in the Force when they emerged from the ocean near the city. The sensation was so strong it was like a smack to the face as the Jedi Knight took his breather off. Cere and Trilla's sudden facial changes mirrored his own when they also felt the Force shifting.

"There's a powerful presence here, two very powerful presences."

"This signature...they're Inquisitors from the Fortress," Trilla said.

"Calm yourselves. They could be here on regular Empire business and not searching for us. None of the scanners picked up our trail and I made sure to hide our presence from them before leaving the Mantis."

The trio slowly and calmly made their way towards the city while trying to blend in with the crowd. Cal saw a vendor selling clothing and quickly bought three disguises for themselves using the credits he saved up back on Bracca. Donning their new clothing over soggy ones, they continued walking along the streets and tried not to look out of place.

An echo left behind by a broken Stormtrooper helmet drew Cal's attention towards it and he reached a hand out, closing his eyes to sense the residual energy remaining.

"This Stormtrooper...he was killed by an Inquisitor when he failed to capture their target," Cal said once the vision was gone.

"I forgot you can sense Echoes in the Force," Trilla murmured.

"Yea. Objects or people leave behind an echo of sorts and I can see what happened to them if I tap into the Force."

"Force Psychometry is a rare gift, not many Jedi can sense the past through a Force Echo. You have to be born with it," Cere said, her second time witnessing this particular skill from Cal.

"Master Tapal was the one who told me about it when I accidentally touched one of his possessions and discovered a rather hidden side of him he didn't want others to see."

This caused Cere to let out a small chuckle.

"I swore to never speak of it," Cal deadpanned.

"I believe you."

"Imperial troops!" Trilla hissed, holding a hand out to stop the other two from moving forward.

They peered around the corner of the wall and noticed a small group of Stormtroopers walking through the crowd, occasionally stopping random civilians and subjecting them to questioning, though they were all released right afterwards. However what drew their attention was the two Purge Troopers walking behind the Stormtroopers, and in between the two was an Inquisitor.

"Inquisitor," Cal said quietly, his hand instinctively reaching towards his lightsaber.

Cere slapped his hand down.

"We're trying _not_ to reveal ourselves, have you forgotten what Queen Apailana said?"

Right.

They couldn't let the Empire know they were there.

"Let's just try to make our way towards the Mantis _without_ drawing attention," Cere said and the three of them slipped back onto the streets.

They were about halfway back to the Mantis when a Stormtrooper spotted them walking and ordered them to halt.

"Stop! Identify yourselves," he said, pointing a Blaster in their general direction.

The Purge Troopers and Inquisitor paused to observe what was going on.

"I said identify yourselves," the Stormtrooper repeated.

Cal and Trilla looked at one another anxiously, their hands twitching in anticipation of a confrontation.

The twin hums of lightsabers igniting alarmed the regular citizens as they all scrambled for cover. Cal and Trilla swiftly took out the Stormtroopers who were trying to shoot at them with blasters, giving Cere a chance to run towards the Mantis with the key. A sudden Force Push from behind knocked Cal back towards a pile of barrels, but he had not time to think because the red blade of a Inquisitor saber came hurling his way.

Trilla jumped in front of him and deflected the weapon as the Inquisitor casually made her way towards them.

"Well look who it is, if it isn't the former Second Sister. To think you'd actually betray us and run away with this..fugitive. How far have you fallen Trilla," she mocked behind her helmet.

"And you're still the same, Aveena, still working as a lapdog for the Empire with no free will of her own," Trilla hissed back.

The Mirialan Inquisitor narrowed her eyes in anger and unleashed a Force Choke but Trilla was able to counter it.

"Shame. Master Vader has granted me your title, which means _I'm_ the Second Sister now. Shame isn't it? You were once of a higher rank than me, but now you're _nothing_."

Trilla tightened her grip on her lightsaber upon hearing Aveena speak those words. While it was true her rank had been higher than Aveena's back then (she was the Twelfth Sister), they never really clashed with one another as they were often sent on separate missions. It was the Mirialan's haughty attitude that annoyed Trilla to no end, and she always suspected the latter wanted her position.

"You're still weaker than I am," Trilla retorted, running forward to engage Aveena in a battle.

The only sound audible in the air were lightsabers clashing and whirling as the two exchanged and parried blows. Cal managed to get back up on his feet only to be assaulted by the two Purge Troopers who had ran forward to engage him in battle. Activating the other blade of his lightsaber, the ginger-haired Knight split his weapon down the middle and held both sabers in the Jar'Kai stance.

"Get him!"

Rolling out of the way to avoid one of the Troopers from hitting him with an axe, Cal spun around and swung one of his sabers down, catching the Trooper on the shoulder but he hastily retreated before his armor could be penetrated. The other Trooper raised his baton in the air in a attempt to pin him, which would allow his comrade a chance to strike from behind. Throwing a hand out towards the charging Trooper, Cal pushed him back with the Force and spun in a circle with his weapons, breaking through the other's guard and slashing him right down the middle.

The body crumpled to the floor.

"You'll pay for that!"

The electrified axe managed to graze him on the shoulder and the jolt of electricity forced Cal onto his knees as his body trembled from the shock.

"I've got you now traitor," the Trooper declared as he raised his weapon in the air for the finishing blow.

 _Trust only in the_ _Force_.

His master's words gave Cal the strength needed to stand back up and block the axe with his lightsabers. Capitalizing on the Trooper's open guard, Cal rushed forward and impaled him through the chest, the Trooper going slack against his shoulder.

With both of them dead, he turned to find Trilla still locked in combat with the new Second Sister.

* * *

Aveena's skills have definitely improved since their time at the Fortress. She was able to block and parry most of Trilla's blows while returning her own attacks effortlessly. The Second Sister and her predecessor were locked in a fierce combat, neither willing to give in and both utilizing the Force alongside their swordsmanship with their lightsabers.

"Looks like you haven't lost your skills since betraying us," Aveena mocked.

"You're still as easy to read as ever," Trilla countered, kicking the Mirialan in the chest to draw some distance between themselves.

"Shame. We could've been great partners," the Second Sister activated the other end of her lightsaber.

This would put Trilla at a disadvantage since Aveena now had longer range than she did. Arching her back as the bladed lightsaber came swinging her way, Trilla straightened back up and rolled to the side as the Inquisitor's weapon came whirling back from behind. The tip grazed her upper arm, searing through her clothing and drawing blood as it left a mark.

"So you do bleed after all."

"Trilla!"

She turned her head in time to see Cal's lightsaber flying in the air towards her. Using the Force to call it into her hand, Trilla grabbed the hilt and ignited both ends of the weapon, giving her a fighting chance now that she was also wielding a double-bladed lightsaber.

"Meddlesome Jedi," Aveena hissed, hurling a barrel in Cal's direction only for the latter to stop it with the Force.

"I'll deal with you later," she swore, ducking as Trilla advanced towards her with renewed vigor.

Heavy footsteps approached the area where they were fighting, prompting Cal to turn around to see another wave of Stormtroopers headed their way.

"Use my lightsaber!" Trilla shouted.

Cal reached a hand out with the Force and felt her saber respond to his beckoning, slapping into his hand just in time to deflect blaster shots fired in his direction. Two of the Stormtroopers went down but more quickly replaced them. Ducking and reflecting blasts back as best he could, Cal could see they were starting to be swarmed on all sides from the Stormtroopers. One tried to knock him out from behind but the Knight whirled around, elbowing the clone in his helmet then impaled him through the chest. The sounds of lightsabers clashing with one another showed Trilla and the Second Sister were still locked in combat.

"Open fire!" one of the commanders ordered.

Three troopers aimed their blasters not at Cal, but at the unsuspecting Trilla and opened fire upon the Knight. Cal tried to reach out with the Force to slow the blasts but was distracted by yet another Purge Trooper barreling into him from the side. His concentration broken from the impact, the ginger-haired Knight fell on the ground, Trilla's lightsaber skidding away from his reach.

"Trilla!"

Without a chance to block the blaster shots, each projectile made contact with Trilla's backside as she lurched forward from the impact. The Second Sister grabbed Trilla by the throat and held her hostage, placing the edge of her red lightsaber against the Knight's throat while keeping eye contact with Cal.

"I have you in my grasp now, _sister_."

Trilla hissed angrily in response but couldn't move due to Aveena's constricting grip.

"Let her go!" Cal shouted, his arms immobilized by the Purge Trooper who held him tight in a kneeling position.

"Cal Kestis, we've been ordered to bring you back to the Fortress _alive_ unfortunately. I would have loved to dissect you bit by bit and watch you scream in agony the entire time, however I have my orders. As for you, traitor, you're coming back with us as well."

"Never!" Trilla spat.

"I suppose the Grand Inquisitor wouldn't mind if I gave you a scar or two to subdue your rebellious spirit then," Aveena raised her saber in the air.

"No!" Cal struggled in vain to break free from the iron grip around his wrists.

Just before Aveena could bring her lightsaber down on Trilla's neck, her arm was frozen in mid-air and locked in place. The Mirialan strained against the invisible lock that held her arm to no avail.

"You are not taking them anywhere," Merrin's voice rang out coldly as she materialized before the group.

"What are you doing?! Shoot her!" the Second Sister ordered.

All the Stormtroopers turned their blasters on the Nightsister but Merrin conjured up a barrier that easily deflected their blasts. Her hands and eyes glowing green with magick welling up from within her body, the Nightsister blasted the Stormtroopers away from Cal. The impact of the blow gave him the chance needed as Cal headbutted the Purge Trooper, then rolled towards Trilla's saber and snatched it with his right hand.

"Trilla duck," he warned, igniting the blade and swinging it skyward.

Merrin's sudden appearance and attack on the Stormtroopers gave Trilla the opening to twist herself free from Aveena's grip as the Second Sister was distracted. The Mirialan Inquisitor reacted just in time to parry Cal's blow, then retaliated with one of her own aimed at Trilla. Cal yanked Trilla towards him and spun so it was his back that caught the end of the red lightsaber.

"Ngh!"

The blade seared through his back all the way down to his muscles, Cal cried out in pain but held onto Trilla despite the agony of being hit with a lightsaber. Merrin raised an arm and locked the Second Sister's hand in place as she rushed over to where the two where on the ground.

"Shoot them!"

A flash of green blinded the Second Sister and Stormtroopers as Merrin teleported them back to the Mantis.

* * *

_To be continued...._

_I haven't neglected Merrin xD here's her kicking ass in this scene!_

_I have no idea how many Inquisitors there are so I threw in a random number_

_Aveena is my OC_

_See you all next time!_

_Celsius Fate~_


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group head to Coruscant in search of the Jedi Archives for the holocron hidden by Cordova. 
> 
> Trilla discusses her concerns regarding Cal with her master, the two worried about the anger they sensed within his heart and how it may lure him to the dark side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I know the Grand Inquisitor died in Rebels but I'm playing around with the lore/canon/characters for my story so don't be surprised if certain characters make appearances!

Cere and Greez were waiting for the group back onboard the Mantis when there was a sudden glow of green, followed by sounds of bodies hitting the durasteel floor panels. They leaped up and ran over to where Merrin was, the Nightsister's hands glowing with magick as she assessed the wounds sustained by Cal and Trilla. The latter was in much better shape, as most of the shots fired missed save for two or three that managed to land their mark. Cal on the other hand, sustained the worst injury thanks to him blocking that lightsaber blow for Trilla.

"How is he?" Cere knelt beside the Nightsister.

"Bad shape. His wound is too large for me to heal," Merrin responded, her hands glowing the entire time as she ran them around his back.

BD-1 hopped over to where Cal was and made a series of beeps.

"H-Hey buddy," Cal reached a hand out to pat his droid on the head.

 _Fwee-beep-do-boop_.

"I'll be fine," he winced and tried to sit up, receiving help from Cere as she eased him over onto the couch.

"He needs a healer," Merrin finally said, using her magick to ease the pain from his wound.

"I studied under a Healer for some time back when I was at the Academy, before I became a Knight. I can help," Cere said.

Cal was starting to shiver from the wound after Cere shooed everyone from the general area. Greez went back to the cockpit to chart a course for Coruscant, while Trilla and Merrin disappeared into the back so the latter could use her magick to heal the blast wounds. That left Cere alone with Cal and she began undoing the buckles that held his chest guard in place, no doubt it was given to him back on Bracca due to his job as a scrapper.

"W-What are you doing?!" Cal tried to push her hands away.

"Stop being a baby and let me help! You're a grown man for crying out loud, stop squirming so I can treat your wound."

Embarrassed beyond belief that another person was going to see him half naked, Cal could only duck his head and allowed Cere to remove his jacket to see the gaping wound across his back. Her eyes widened slightly in shock at the sheer size of the injury and was surprised that Cal was even still conscious at this point.

"Try not to move so much," she instructed.

Closing her eyes in concentration to draw upon the Force and her training, Cere lifted her hands in front of the wound and melded the energy gathering in her palms. Letting the Force guide her in her task, she pushed the wave out towards Cal's wound and focused, willing the Force to heal his injury.

Cal felt a warm sensation on his back and caught Cere's reflection on the table, her palms were glowing while her eyes were closed in total focus. The Force seeped out from her palms and onto the wound, healing the scarred tissue and reinvigorating the cells to start healing themselves.

"There. That should help your injury heal on its own now," Cere said after a while.

"Thanks Cere," Cal hastily pulled his jacket up and zipped it.

BD-1 hopped over and ejected a stim canister for Cal at that moment, and the grateful Knight injected himself with it, sighing as the stim did its trick to heal his wound.

She chuckled at his antics.

"Relax."

"Sorry."

"What happened back there after you two gave me the chance to slip away?"

Trilla came back out at that moment to hand Cal his lightsaber back, taking her own from him at the same time. Cere raised an eyebrow at the two, her curiosity piqued now thanks to seeing them switch weapons back.

"We fought the new Second Sister. Her name is Aveena, a Mirialan who was the former Twelfth Sister back when I was still an Inquisitor. Cal threw me his lightsaber when she activated her second blade, which put me at a disadvantage since I only have one. We managed to gain the upper hand for a but until I was caught in her grip and Cal had a Purge Trooper holding him down. They had orders to bring us back to Fortress Inquisitorius. It if weren't for Merrin showing up in time to save us, we would've been taken already," Trilla explained while Cal listened in silence.

"Well they certainly have no shortages of Inquisitors do they?" Cere grumbled, folding her arms to lean back against the couch.

"No. They constantly search for Force-sensitives or Jedi survivors and either turn them into Inquisitors or kill them on the spot."

"I'm just glad you two are alright."

"I'm going to meditate," Cal said suddenly, leaving the two alone on the couch.

* * *

No matter how hard he tried to focus on clearing his mind, the battle with the Second Sister Aveena kept replaying itself on an endless loop every time he closed his eyes. He hated how weak he was for being unable to fight alongside Trilla to face the Second Sister. If only he was stronger, more capable of handling larger groups of enemies, if only his use of the Force was more powerful!

Cal opened his eyes in frustration and sat down on the stairs.

"It's no use buddy, I can't clear my head."

_Beep-boop-beep?_

"I'm trying! But it's like every time I close my eyes, I can see the battle that just played out and the Second Sister taunting me."

 _Boop-fwee_.

"Easy for you to say buddy, you're a droid. I'm the one who's a Jedi."

 _Boop_.

BD-1's antennas flattened against its head and lowered itself slightly as if to express its sadness.

"Hey I didn't mean it BD. Come here little guy," Cal scooped up the droid and poked its head affectionately.

_Beep-beep!_

"Yea. I can't give up so easily can I?"

BD nodded its head.

* * *

"I'm worried about Cal," Trilla admitted once the ginger-haired Knight left the room they were in.

"You and me both," Cere agreed.

"I sense there is anger hidden within his heart ever since we returned from Naboo."

"He is still young and learning. Remember, he was but a child when Order 66 was given. He carried the guilt of Jaro Tapal's death for the many years he's been hiding on Bracca. The incident most likely traumatized him enough that he cut himself off from the Force. Though he has learned to forgive himself for the past and his master's death, the scars cannot be healed so easily."

"It took me so long to let go of my hate for you, and that's what kept me going all these years. It's a powerful emotion, hate, one that can lure you to the dark side easily. I think that's why I turned so fast...because I hated you for abandoning me."

Cere rested a hand atop Trilla's and gave her a comforting pat.

Merrin came walking out of the back area with Cal leaning on her for support. The two were talking quietly to one another until they felt four pairs of eyes (minus Greez as the Latero was busy piloting) staring in their direction.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yea. Thanks for earlier Cere," Cal said, sitting himself down on the couch with Merrin's help.

"Have you cleared your mind in meditation?"

Cal's silence gave Cere the answer she was expecting.

"Cal, I know it's hard but you _must_ learn to focus on emptying your brain."

"It's not as easy as you think! Not when I..." Cal broke off and exhaled a sharp breath.

Both Merrin and Trilla watched Cal with concern.

"I'm trying. I'm honestly trying my best here," he finally said.

"I'm not trying to force or push you, but Master Tapal would want the same thing for his only Padawan. Don't let his death be in vain," Cere said, reaching a hand out towards him.

"You weren't there when he died Cere! He died to protect me! So I could get to Bracca safely and live! Can we just...please stop talking about this?" Cal's shoulder sagged in exhaustion as he closed his eyes.

* * *

_There is no emotion, there is peace._

_There is no ignorance, there is knowledge._

_There is no passion, there is serenity._

_There is no chaos, there is harmony._

_There is no death. There is the Force._

Jaro Tapal's recitation of the Jedi Code soothed Cal as his mind wandered through the darkness, recalling upon his Padawan days before Order 66 happened. All the adventures and lessons they had together, those were the happiest times of his younger days.

He'd give anything to go back.

 _"Trust only in the Force_."

Emerald orbs snapped open just before an ominous presence could wrap itself around his brain.

"Cal! Easy there," Cere said when she spotted his body jerking upright.

"Where are we?" he asked, his mind groggy from the dream.

"Almost to Coruscant. I've scrambled our signature to prevent the Empire from tracking us while we're there. It won't fool them for long though, so we need to get in, find the archives and get out with the holocron."

"Right," Cal slowly stretched his stiff limbs over his head.

"You were muttering in your sleep. Was it Vader again?" Cere lowered her voice for the second part, her eyes scanning his face.

"No. I just had a dream of Master Tapal reciting the Jedi Code to me."

Cere's expression softened and she leaned back into her own cushion.

"The Force works in mysterious ways, even when we die, we aren't truly gone. Our souls become one with the Force itself."

"Master Tapal said the same thing," Cal rubbed the back of his head and got up to get a drink.

* * *

The Grand Inquisitor was _not_ pleased to hear the Second Sister had failed in her apprehension of their targets. The Mirialan was currently standing before her leader, look extremely uncomfortable while the other Inquisitors stood behind quietly in observance of what was to come.

"How did you let two lone Jedi slip away when you had a battalion of Stormtroopers at your disposal?" the Grand Inquisitor hissed, his voice laced with fury.

Aveena swallowed nervously.

"T-They had help from a Nightsister! I had the traitorous Trilla and that Jedi in my grasp when the Nightsister appeared out of nowhere and blasted my troops away with magick, then prevented me from moving. The Jedi tried to attack me when I was distracted but I landed a blow with my lightsaber, he shouldn't be able to move for a while with a wound like that."

The Pau'un male narrowed his eyes at the Second Sister.

"Lord Vader does not tolerate failure, and neither do I."

Everyone in the room sucked in a sharp breath as the Grand Inquisitor got up from his seat and calmly walked over to where the Second Sister was standing, her entire body slightly trembling in fear but a stoic expression was kept on her face.

Gasping sounds came from Aveena's mouth as the Grand Inquisitor placed her in a choke hold using the Force. Her feet were lifted off the ground, dangling in the air helplessly as the Grand Inquisitor stood in front of her.

"Since you were newly promoted, I will grant you a reprieve this once. Bring me Cal Kestis and the former Second Sister _alive_. If you cannot do this, then do not bother returning at all."

He turned his back on the Inquisitor and lowered his hand at the same time. Aveena dropped to the ground and drew in deep breaths of air while massaging her neck. The other Inquisitors also left the room, leaving the Mirialan to her own thoughts. Clenching her hand in anger, she slammed the floor several times and screamed.

"Trilla Suduri, I _will_ have your head on a platter the next time we meet. Mark my words," she swore, slowly standing up to replace her helmet on her head.

* * *

Coruscant.

Home to the ravaged Jedi Temple.

Now known as the Imperial Palace after Palpatine declared himself the Galactic Emperor.

No doubt the surrounding area and the structure itself will be swarming with troops.

Sneaking in and out wasn't going to be easy.

"My magick can only conceal you for a certain range. Once you are out of that range, you will be visible to others. I will try my best to keep you concealed until you reach the Imperial Palace. Once you're inside, it's up to you to get in and out without being seen," Merrin said as Trilla and Cal prepared themselves.

Greez managed to land the Mantis on an abandoned hangar no longer used by the Imperial Army. It was a fair distance away from the palace to prevent detection from their radars, but Cere had to remain behind to keep scrambling their signal as a precaution. Cal insisted he go alone in the beginning, but Trilla was determined to prove herself after being on the opposing side for so many years.

"Remeber, your mission is to get in, get the holocron from the archives, and get out."

"Right."

"Do not engage anyone or anything for that matter. We don't want the entire Imperial Army descending upon us as we try to escape. If the Emperor got his hands on this holocron..."

"Yea. It's just as worse as them tracking down the Force-sensitive children," Cal agreed.

Merrin lifted her hands and began chanting in a strange language, twisting and weaving her hands in the air, the green energy welling up until symbols and shapes were visible to the naked eye.

"Are you ready?" she asked.

"Yes," the two Knights replied.

The wave of green energy washed over their bodies ever so slowly turning them invisible as Merrin kept chanting in her unknown language, the broken artifact from Dathomir levitating slightly above her hands. Once they were fully concealed from sight, they looked at one another and gave a nod of encouragement.

"May the Force be with you," Cere said as the two took off towards the Imperial Palace.

She could not shake the feeling of dread that was slowly starting to build up from within.

"Master Cordova...please protect them," she murmured, watching until their shadowy silhouettes were gone from view.

* * *

_To be continued...._

_Thoughts? Comments?_

_See you all next time!_

_Celsius Fate~_


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A trip to find the Jedi Archives results in another encounter with Darth Vader....

The Imperial Palace was swarming with guards at every entrance and nook imaginable. If it weren't for Merrin's magick concealing them from view for the time-being, Cal wasn't sure if they could fight their way (or even sneak) through the entire area without attracting at least the attention of one Stormtrooper. They managed to make their way to the vicinity of the Palace itself before Merrin's magick wore off.

Thankfully they were hiding within a crack at that moment, therefore none of the troops spotted them.

"I guess this is as far as Merrin's magick goes," Cal murmured to Trilla, the two of them inching their way in through a narrow passage.

_Beep!_

"I know bud. Stay put and try not to make noise alright?"

_Boop._

Exiting the passageway at the end, the two found themselves within the interior of the Imperial Palace. Cal had vague memories of the building since he did spend his earlier years training with the other Force-sensitive Initiates of the Jedi Order before Master Tapal chose him as his Padawan. The once glorious and vibrant halls were practically oozing with signs of the Imperial Palace. The statues that adorned the hallways were removed and replaced with those of the Emperor and Darth Vader.

Cal shuddered and instinctively pressed a hand against his lower abdomen where Vader had forced his own lightsaber into his skin. Though the physical wound itself had healed thanks to Merrin, the residual effects of Vader's energy remained. The wound would occasionally ache, plague him with spikes of pain at the most inconvenient of times, and even feel cold and numb to the touch. He hadn't told anyone about it, especially not Cere as he didn't want her to worry over him even further.

"They desecrated this place," Trilla said quietly, anger laced in her voice.

"We'll restore it to its former glory once the Empire is gone," Cal swore, the tips of his fingers brushing against his lightsaber.

BD-1 made quiet beeping noises from behind Cal's back.

"What's up buddy?"

The droid hopped off and projected a small holomap on the group for the two to see.

"When did you have a copy of this? _Where_ did you even get this from?" Cal asked incredulously, staring at the little bipedal droid in wonder.

_Beep-fwee-boop-treeee!_

"Huh, I guess we should thank Cere later."

"What did he say?" Trilla asked, wishing she understood Binary like Cal did.

"Cere managed to get this map from a friend who owed her a favor way back. She gave it to BD before landing on Coruscant and neglected to tell us about it."

Trilla snorted quietly.

"That's like her, forgetful to an extent."

Cal gave a small chuckle of his own and went back to looking at the holomap. Judging from what he could see, the archives were located at the back of the building. If they could get in, then the holocron key can be used to located the secret vault containing the list of the surviving Jedi. The only problem was how to get there and back out without being caught.

"If we take this path here, we can bypass most of the guards and slip our way towards the archives without being seen."

He pointed at a secret passageway that the troopers most likely had no idea about. Though much of the original Temple had been burnt down in a blaze of fire during the Purge, the reconstruction of the building into the Imperial Palace couldn't change the interior much. They still had to use the Temple as a basis for their foundation of the Palace.

"Let's go then," Trilla said.

* * *

Everyone stood up rigid and straight when they saw Darth Vader walking towards them from the distance. The Stormtroopers could feel his powerful aura even before the Sith Lord entered the room. The mechanical whirring of his lifesuit and his distinct breathing was another dead giveaway to his presence.

"Lord Vader, the Grand Inquisitor wishes to speak with you."

Vader paused and turned his head to look at the terrified clone.

"I will attend to him after my visit to the Emperor."

"O-Of course my lord! The Emperor is in the throne room," the clone commander reported.

"You are dismissed."

The Sith Lord watched in amusement as the clone commander all but scrambled to get out of the room.

* * *

"I can't believe what they've done to this place."

The further within the Palace the duo went, the more and more of Palpatine's influence they could see. If the deceased Jedi could see the state of their Temple right now...they would most likely be causing a disturbance in the Force, literally.

"The archives are right around the corner."

They snuck past several troopers who were engaged in conversation while lazily standing guard.

"Man, I can't wait to get back into the action out there."

"Tell me about it. I've been stuck on guard duty for the last ten rotations. I want some action! I envy those who get to go with the Inquisitors," another grumbled.

"Are you serious? They're notorious for their tempers! Even the Purge Troopers can't stand them," the third one added.

Cal gave a quick glance in Trilla's direction and noticed she was fighting back a laugh from overhearing the conversation.

"They're not wrong," she said with a shrug.

"Keep moving."

They made their way towards the back of the temple, sticking close to the shadows to avoid being seen. Cal nearly had a run-in with a trooper who was patrolling the eastern wing and had just rounded the corner if Trilla hadn't pulled him back in time. BD-1 glanced at his master and his companion, his antennas going up and down in confusion.

"Thanks for that," Cal breathed.

"No worries."

Rounding the corner that led towards the archives and their destination, the two Jedi found the entrance guarded by two Purge Troopers. There was no way for them to sneak around nor go from the back, which meant they had to face the Troopers head on. Cal signaled to Trilla to be quiet as they took steps towards the unsuspecting soldiers. The ginger-haired Knight had his fair share of being whacked by one of the electric batons the Troopers carried, and he was _not_ looking forward to repeating the experience.

"How long do we have until the next rotation shift?" the one on Cal's side asked, looking at his companion.

"Soon. Just shut up and face the front. Do you want Lord Vader to walk by and spot us slacking off?"

The mention of Vader's name was enough to make the first Trooper shut his mouth and face the front. Once they were in position behind the clones, Cal signaled with his hand and the two quickly placed the Troopers in a headlock, pulling them to the ground and using the Force to knock them unconscious. Dumping their bodies outside on a ledge near the balcony, the two slipped into the archives.

* * *

During the grand age prior to the execution of Order 66, the Jedi Archives was overseen by Master Jocasta Nu, the same Jedi who secretly gave a copy of the list of Force-sensitive children to Master Cordova. Under her guidance and leadership, the Archives flourished and housed all the knowledge known to the Jedi. With the death of Master Nu and the take over by the Empire, the Archives was no longer once it was.

This much was certain as Cal and Trilla carefully made their way through the darkened halls.

Signs of pilfering and destruction were evident as empty Holocron shells were scattered about the floor.

"All the knowledge of the Jedi...reduced to this," Cal said bitterly as they made their way deeper within.

"I can't believe how blind I was when I was an Inquisitor..."

"Don't. It's not your fault, remember that."

The two arrived at what appeared to be a dead end, prompting Cal to mutter colorful words under his breath. Unwilling to turn back empty-handed while they were so close to their target, he reached a hand out to touch the wall and began feeling for an indent of sorts. Trilla did the same further down and they carefully reached out with the Force to aid them in their search.

"Found it!"

Cal's hand passed over a indent in the wall that matched the size of the holocron key given by Lyonie. Taking it out of his pocket, he held his breath and inserted it into the hole. A low rumbling filled the air as the key activated a secret vault on the floor of the Archives, giving way to a set of stairs that led down into the darkness below. Trilla gripped Cal's arm and looked at him.

"We have a Holocron to find."

They descended into the darkness, following the spiral staircase down with only BD-1's eyes providing light. They didn't want to risk igniting their lightsabers and drawing attention to themselves. It was a slow walk with Trilla clinging to Cal the entire time, not that he minded but it made it slightly awkward for him to walk.

After what seemed like an eternity of endless walking, the stairs gave way to flat floor beneath their feet.

"We're here."

Feeling safe enough to use their lightsabers as a light source, they ignited their weapons only to find four walls staring at them.

"That's it? We made our way here for four empty walls?" Trilla said in disbelief.

BD-1 hopped off Cal's back and ran over to a symbol on the floor.

_Beep!_

"What is it BD?"

The bipedal droid danced around frantically and jumped on the symbol.

"This symbol...I've seen it on Bogano. It's another of Cordova's tests," Cal said after kneeling down to examine the carving.

"So what do we do?"

Resting his palm against the dark wall in front of him, Cal closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, exhaling slowly as he reached out with the Force. The wall reacted to his touch and projected an image in his mind.

* * *

_"Kill them," Vader ordered._

_Cal walked forward calmly, his face stoic, a red lightsaber in hand as he approached his former friends. Greez and Merrin had already succumbed to the sweet embrace of death, leaving only Cere and Trilla alive. The two were bound in chains and hanging from the wall of the dungeon, Purge Troopers standing on either side of them. Both looked battered beyond belief, sporting cuts and bruises on their faces._

_"Cal, don't do this! I know there's still good in you!" Cere implored.  
_

_"Turn back! If I could then you can! Fight the darkness within!"_

_Their pleas fell upon deaf ears as Cal stood in front of them, lightsaber gripped tightly in his right hand, his eyes staring them down through his helmet._

_"Jaro Tapal would be so disappointed in you," Cere said._

_"You have no right to speak his name. You_ made _me what I am," Cal replied before impaling Cere through the chest with his weapon._

_"No!" Trilla struggled against the chains uselessly, tears streaming down her face as she watched her former friend turn to her._

_"Cal, please, don't do this."_

_His face was cold and emotionless as he brought his lightsaber down._

_"Cal!"_

* * *

"Cal!"

He blinked several times in confusion to find Trilla shaking him on the shoulders.

"S-Sorry," he stuttered.

"What happened? You were in a trance or something."

"It's nothing," he brushed her off and grabbed the Holocron that hovered in front of him.

Reacting to his usage of the Force, the Holocron opened itself to display a map of surviving Jedi to the two. Cal and Trilla studied the map closely and realized the Masters they thought were dead, actually managed to survive the Purge and were in hiding on distant planets.

"Masters Yoda and Kenobi aren't dead! They're in hiding!"

Trilla scanned the text as well.

"The Dagobah system...and Tatooine...and it says here...Master Shaak Ti is on the planet Felucia! Cal....this means...."

"There is hope for the future generation of Jedi" Cal said with a smile.

"Then Empire can't get their hands on this."

"Hey buddy? Think you can make a copy for us so I can destroy the holocron?" 

BD-1 made a copy of the list to preserve in his logs, then Cal destroyed the Holocron with his lightsaber in case the Empire discovered its existence.

"Come on," Cal headed back towards the stairs with Trilla in two.

* * *

Darth Vader knew something was wrong when he passed by the former Jedi Archives and noticed the two Purge Troopers were gone. Finding them unconscious on the balcony (and executing them for failing their duties after learning what transpired), the Sith Lord entered inside and discovered a strange new room in the middle of the floor towards the end of the hall. Reaching out through the Force to detect any anomalies, he felt the signatures of Cal Kestis and the former Second Sister down below.

"So you've returned...right into the heart of enemy territory," Vader said as he hid himself in the shadows to await their emergence from within.

Just as he suspected, the duo emerged from the darkness and began making their way towards the exit. Knowing this was the perfect chance to turn Cal to the dark side, Vader stopped them with the Force and stepped out from where he was hidden.

"Cal Kestis, foolish of you to walk right into enemy territory," he said, walking up to the two.

"You! Why are you here!" Cal demanded, unable to move but could at least speak.

"This is the Imperial Palace, I am Darth Vader, this is where I belong."

The ginger-haired Knight struggled against the powerful Force Hold but Vader merely chuckled at the latter's antics.

"The former Second Sister, your betrayal will not go unpunished."

The red glow of his lightsaber cast a dark glow upon Trilla's face as Vader slowly approached her. Cal struggled even harder against the hold, unwilling to watch Vader cut her down when she narrowed escaped death the first time. Recalling the moment where he expelled Vader's presence from his mind through the Force, Cal tried to repeat the same trick.

 _Trust only in the Force_.

Exploding outwards in a powerful Force shockwave, the impact actually knocked Vader off balance as the Sith Lord fell onto his back. Cal grabbed Trilla's hand and ran for the exit. Stormtroopers were waiting for them as soon as they emerged, and the two Knights ignited their lightsabers to engage them in combat.

* * *

"Ngh," Cal flinched as another blaster shot grazed his face.

He already lost track of how many Stormtroopers he had killed.

More just kept coming.

The bodies were slowly starting to pile up as he and Trilla were forced more and more towards the ledge of the balcony.

Deflecting another shot with his saber, Cal turned towards Trilla and saw she was starting to show exhaustion. If they kept fighting like this, their stamina was bound to run out and leave them vulnerable.

"BD, send a transmission to the Mantis. Tell them to pick us up here or we're never getting out!" Cal said to the little droid as he swung his saber at a Purge Trooper.

_Beep-boop!_

"Struggling is futile," Vader's voice interrupted the battle as all the Stormtroopers stepped aside to let the Sith Lord pass.

It seemed he had taken his time to allow the clones to wear them down while he waited patiently from behind the firing lines.

"Cal, we're going to fall if we move back one more step."

It was true.

They were precariously near the edge of the balcony now.

"Surrender the Holocron and yourself. If you do, your friend shall be spared."

"I destroyed the Holocron! You'll never get your hands on the children!" Cal retorted defiantly, running forward with his lightsaber in the air.

Vader easily stopped his attempted attack with a simple Force Hold, which turned into a Force choke as the Sith Lord tightened the grip little by little. Cal's finger curled around the Sith Lord's gloved hand, and he could feel the cybernetics beneath the cloth. He deduced Vader must have undergone some sort of enhancement if he no longer had a flesh hand but prosthetic instead.

"Release him!" Trilla demanded, throwing her lightsaber in front of her.

The Grand Inquisitor jumped down from the floor above and parried the blow for his master.

Cal turned his head with effort to find Trilla engaged in a fight with another Inquisitor, this one far more skilled compared the the others he had seen and fought. Trilla was overpowered rather quickly and held in place by Purge Troopers as the Inquisitor rested the red blade of his saber a mere inch away from her neck.

"Open your mind to me Cal Kestis, embrace the dark side and become my apprentice."

The Mantis' engines roared loudly in the distance, signaling that Cere and Greez were on their way to rescue them. Distracted by the noise drawing closer to the Palace, Trilla wrenched herself free from the Purge Troopers and recalled her lightsaber back, using it to clear a path towards the balcony. Cal had BD-1 shock the unsuspecting Sith Lord for the second time, the electricity coursing through caused Vader's hand to go slack.

He dropped to the ground and grabbed his weapon, then ran towards Trilla's side just as the Mantis came flying into view.

"Jump now!" Cere shouted.

"Go!" Cal said, deflecting blaster shots.

Trilla leaped into the air and reached for her master's hand, grabbing it tightly as Cere hauled her up the ramp.

"Cal! Jump!"

Deflecting a few more blasts for good measure, Cal took a running leap towards the ledge and pushed off with his legs, leaping into the air with a hand outstretched towards Cere. Trilla noticed Vader trying to yank him back with the Force and countered with a Force Push, though not as strong but was enough to distract the Sith Lord momentarily. 

"I got you!" Cere grabbed onto Cal's hand and dragged him aboard just as the ship took off. 

One of the troopers managed to attach a tracking device to the hull of the ship just before the Mantis sped away from the Palace.

* * *

_To be continued...._

_I revised the ending at the suggestion of a reader._

_I know Cal and the others gave up on restoring the Jedi Order at the end of the game, but there's a reason why I had them retrieve the list of surviving Jedi from the Archives. All will be revealed in further chapters!_

_See you all next time!_

_Celsius Fate~_


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deciding to not pursue after the Masters who are in hiding, Cal and his crew start to weaken Empire influence by attacking Inquisitor bases. Their first target is the Imperial Refinery on Kashyyk, where the Sixth Brother has been stationed following Cal's trips back to aid the Partisans and Wookie chieftain Tarfful. Cere decided to go with Trilla, leaving Cal to track the mysterious Jedi Knight Rachi Sitri down on the planet Talus...

Once the crew were safely away from Coruscant and far enough to avoid detection, Cere turned to the two Jedi to ask them what they had learned.

"Did you find it?"

"Yea we did," Cal said, lowering the bottle he had been drinking from.

"Which masters are still alive?"

BD-1 hopped onto the table and projected the list for Cere to see.

"Masters Yoda and Kenobi are alive! Master Ti as well."

"Are we going to find them?" Trilla turned to look at Cal.

Cal's brows furrowed together in thought as he contemplated the question for a long time.

"No. When we destroyed the holocron of Force-sensitive children, we decided to let the Force guide their fates. If we choose to go after the masters, it will expose their position to the Empire. They have gone this long without detection, we can't risk letting the Empire know of their existence. Let them continue to believe we're the only surviving Jedi left of the Purge."

"But I thought you wanted to rebuild the Jedi Order? Wasn't that why you went after the list from Cordova?" Trilla asked Cere.

"That's true but think about it Trilla, all those innocent lives would be lost. Those children have no idea they are Force-sensitive, and keeping them in the dark about it is the best thing to do. Cal is right, as much as I _want_ to rebuild the Order, letting the Force decide the fate of those children is the best path to go."

"So we're just going to keep...doing whatever it is we're doing?" Trilla waved her hands at the group.

"I destroyed the holocron back at the Archives. BD is the only one with the list of the surviving masters. The Empire will never know of their locations, in a way we've ensured the future of any Force-sensitive child who might happen to come in contact with one of them," Cal said.

"What's our next plan then?" Cere returned to her seat at the cockpit, placing the headset over her head.

"Know any imperial bases while you were an Inquisitor? We can strike them and weaken their armies for a short while," Cal focused his attention on Trilla.

"I know of several...but they're all heavily guarded and there's no doubt an Inquisitor will be stationed there to oversee things. Are you sure you want to attack them?"

"Totally. Which one is the closest?"

Trilla's eyes slid over to the holotable where holograms of several planets were hovering above the screen.

"Kashyykk. After your initial visit there...we pushed the Partisans back and established a firmer grip using the Imperial Refinery as our base. Originally the Empire planned on merely harvesting the natural resources of the planet, but when it was discovered you were there to aid the Partisans and Wookies, I was ordered to station there and await your arrival until..."

"Until you went to Zeffo because of Project Auger," Cal finished.

A nod.

"Well, I'm sure Mari will appreciate the extra pair of hands this time. Maybe we'll push the Empire's influence away for good to give the Wookies a chance to rebuild."

"The Empire will never truly be gone until Palpatine is dead," Cere interjected.

"We must have hope."

* * *

With their course set for Kashyykk for the third time since this journey began, Cal took the chance to meditate in the back room. However the wound from his lightsaber chose that moment to act up, distracting the Knight from clearing his mind until he was forced to give up. With a sigh of defeat, Cal removed the outer layer of his outfit, placing the chest guard down on his bed, then slowly lifted up his shirt until the wound was visible.

"Is your wound bothering you?" Merrin's voice from behind startled Cal.

"By the stars Merrin!" Cal quickly pulled his shirt back down.

"I apologize for startling you but I saw you looking at the lightsaber wound. Did my magick not heal it completely? I recall seeing you use one of those healing devices on it."

"The stim did heal the wound after your magick helped, but it still aches from time to time. Sometimes I'm plagued by spikes of pain emanating from it, other times it starts burning and sends sharp stabs up the side of my ribs. It's hard keeping it under wraps, it probably won't be long before Cere finds out about it."

Merrin sat down on the edge of his bed and indicated he should sit beside her.

"Can I see the wound again?"

Emerald orbs widened at the sudden request and Cal felt his cheeks flush, having been caught off-guard by Merrin's sudden request.

"Uhhh I...I mean..."

"I used to heal my fellow Sisters back on Dathomir when they were injured, which makes me experienced as a healer of the coven...but if you'd rather not then I understand."

"No...I mean it's fine, uhh...here," Cal shifted his position on the bed.

He was wearing a loose grey undershirt after taking off his jacket along with his regular pants, which made it easy for him to lift his shirt for Merrin to check on the wound. The Nightsister's eyes widened upon seeing numerous scars marring his torso. Most of them were clearly from blaster burns, there were a few lightsaber wounds, along with a myriad of bruises and cuts.

Then she saw the fading scars of claw marks which clearly belonged to her fellow zombie Nightsisters she had set upon him when he first arrived on Dathomir.

"Cal, forgive me for-"

"It's fine. I forgive you for it. Besides, you helped me with Malicos back then so we're even," he interrupted.

She gave him a brief nod before going back to his exposed torso.

One particular scar stood out from the rest, a perfectly formed circular burn mark around the area where Vader had forced Cal's own lightsaber into his skin. Her fingertips gently passed over the wound. It was cold to the touch.

"This wound...it radiates with evil. I've never seen or felt anything like it before. I can sense residual energy remaining behind," her fingers continued circling the wound as she spoke.

"Residual energy huh...like an echo or something?"

That could account for how he keeps sensing Vader's presence within his mind whenever he tried to meditate.

"It could be. I have never seen anything like it and my powers are derived from this...dark side of the Force as you Jedi call it."

"I've never heard of an echo being embedded in a living person before..."

"If you want to, I can attempt to use my magick to ease the pain if not temporarily."

Cal lowered his shirt and looked torn between accepting or rejecting her offer. While his knowledge of the Nightsisters is minimum, Cere did mention they worked with the Dark Side of the Force. Given his current situation with Vader trying to invade his mind, he wasn't sure if this would amplify the effect.

"But you use the Dark Side of the Force as the base of your magick don't you? I'm a bit wary I could end up injured."

Merrin gave him one of her rare smiles and shook her head, unfazed by his accusation of her powers.

"Yes, it is true we Nightsisters draw our power from the Dark Side, but unlike these Sith Lords who become addicted to it, we've learned to control and adapt to it. Our founder, Allya, taught my ancestors how to harness and control, to master the Force after she was exiled to Dathomir. As a result of her teachings, whenever females are born on the planet, we become bathed in its essence ever since we were infants. Even when we grew up and came of age, our Clan Mothers would dip our bodies into the rivers of Dathomir to strengthen our bond with our home. The Jedi and the Sith merely see two sides, light and darkness, white and black, warring and peace. Yet in reality, the Force is a combination of all the emotions that make up life. Passion, anger, fury, love, compassion, so long as you do not abuse it, it will not corrupt you. We respect and have given our devotion to the Force. In return for this, our magick was granted to help us shape the galaxy and our fates."

_Trust only in the Force._

Jaro Tapal's parting words echoed within Cal's mind as he digested what Merrin just divulged. While it was true she did utilize the Dark Side, he could sense no lies coming from her words. Yet at the same time, a part of him felt conflicted since what Merrin embodied was the exact opposite of what he was taught as a Jedi.

"Alright."

He sat back down and rolled his shirt up to his chest, giving Merrin a clear view of the wound.

Her hands began glowing green with energy, which she directed over the wound, her lips whispering in a strange language Cal couldn't comprehend. The spikes of pain that had been plaguing him subsided when the energy touched the mark, and Cal sighed in relief.

"Better?" Merrin asked when she was finished.

"A lot. Thank you Merrin."

"You are welcome."

"Can you tell me more about the Nightsisters? I never...spent much time studying in the Archives when I was young since I was always away with Master Tapal."

The Nightsister helped Cal buckle his armor back on.

"Of course. What is it you would like to know? My knowledge is not much, as I only know what Mother Talzin taught, but it may answer your questions."

"You mentioned your founder being Allya, who exactly was she and how did she come to be exiled to Dathomir?" Cal buckled the straps in front and sat back down.

"Much of the origins of our founder became lost over time, but Mother Talzin told us our founder was a human female. She was keenly attuned to what you Jedi call the Force. It is possible Allya could have been a Jedi herself, but we are not sure since there are no records of where she came from. The only thing I know is she taught my ancestors how to control the Force, along with taming feral rancors. She established a matriarchal society where males had no power, and all the females born into the clan were then taught to wield the Force as well. It is the reason why Nightsisters have power over the Nightbrothers, because of our founder."

Cal rested a hand on his chin as he listened, until BD-1 walked into the back and hopped onto Merrin's lap before looking at her, his antennas going up and down curiously.

_Beep-fwee-boop!_

"I am sorry little droid, but I cannot understand what you are saying," Merrin said, placing her hands on either side of BD's legs.

"He says he likes you. You're not as scary as you seem back on Dathomir," Cal translated, chuckling as he reached a hand out to pat BD on the head.

"Oh?" Merrin blinked in response, clearly not knowing how to respond, then her hands rested atop BD's head.

"I like you too BD-1."

_Beep-fweeee!_

BD did a little flip and snuggled under Merrin's neck, eliciting a laugh from the Nightsister.

"He is cute for a droid."

"He is, isn't he?"

_Boop-doo-boop!_

"Don't be shy buddy, you're cute for a droid."

BD wiggled in pleasure and raised his antennas up.

"Are there any other covens out there besides yours? You mentioned you were the only one left in yours...but are there other Nightsister clans on Dathomir?"

"Yes. We were known as the Great Canyon clan, but the most prominent was the Singing Mountain clan of Nightsisters. There's also the Frenzied River, Misty Falls, Red Hills, and Dreaming River clans. Of the six, only the Singing Mountain clan despised the rest of us, seeing themselves as true 'daughters of Allya' in a way. They simply call themselves as Sisters."

The ginger-haired Knight reached over to pluck BD off Merrin's lap, the little droid making beeping noises of protest but Cal pacified his companion with head pats.

"So could it be possible that the other clans survived the massacre?" he asked, wondering if there were other Nightsisters he hadn't met back on Dathomir.

"It could be. I have not reached out to the other clans, nor have they reached out to me. Nightsisters from different clans do not really mingle together."

Their conversation was interrupted by Trilla bursting in with a frenzied look on her face.

"Cere picked up a transmission on the comms, you might want to hear this one."

"Another time then Merrin," Cal got up from the bed and hurried out while Merrin trailed behind.

* * *

Cere and Trilla were at the holotable when Cal emerged from the back of the ship.

"We were about to play the transmission without you," Cere gave Cal a pointed look.

"Sorry. Got caught up in something but I'm all ears."

Giving him one more disapproving look, Cere pressed several buttons on the table and a hologram of a female Twi'lek appeared before the group.

_"I am Rachi Sitra, a Jedi Knight who survived the Great Purge. If any Jedi or Rebel sympathizers hear this message, there is a outpost on Talus. I repeat, there is a rebel base outpost on Talus. We plan on organizing an ambush against the Galactic Empire and welcome any help from allies."_

The transmission ended there.

"So aside from Ahsoka Tano...this Rachi Sitra also survived the Jedi Purge?" Cal glanced at Cere for answers.

"I have heard of her name before...she was found on the planet Ryloth and brought to the Jedi Temple to train. I don't remember who her master was but I believe she may have also trained under Master Secura for a while."

"Is it worth looking into?" Trilla asked.

"Possibly. This transmission was sent on an encrypted channel that's very hard to slice. Even I had trouble decrypting it," Cere went back to her seat at the cockpit and began pressing buttons on the panel.

"I'll go to Talus and rendezvous with this...Rachi Sitra? Trilla, you and Cere should go to Kashyykk and help the Partisans push the Empire's influence off the planet."

"We should stick together!" Trilla insisted, knowing they had a better chance fighting as a pair.

"We'll cover more ground if we split up. I promise I'll come back as soon as I establish contact alright?"

"Cal's right. You're a Jedi Knight yourself Trilla, you're more than capable of helping the Partisans on Kashyykk. This transmission is worth looking into if it means weakening the Empire's hold across the galaxy," Cere said calmly without looking up from the panel.

Trilla took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly.

"Promise me you'll be safe," she finally said.

"Have I ever put myself in danger before?"

"Do you honestly want me to start counting?" Trilla arched an eyebrow at Cal's statement.

"You're right. Don't start counting please."

* * *

Unbeknownst to the crew of the Mantis, Vader was secretly following after the ship using the tracker attached to the hull.

"My lord, they are headed for Kashyykk," the Grand Inquisitor informed after figuring out their coordinates based on the direction the ship was heading.

"Inform the Sixth Brother to greet our guests upon arrival...and that I will personally await his report on the capture of Cal Kestis."

"Understood my lord."

Vader continued staring out the large viewing window of the Starship he was on.

_Soon Cal Kestis...soon you will be in my grasp..._

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Thoughts? Comments?_

_Rachi Sitra only appeared in the TCG of Star Wars. Any information regarding her is derived from the Star Wars wiki._

_See you all next time!_

_Celsius Fate~_


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cere and Trilla start heading for the Shadowlands to lend aid to Tarrful and Mari. Cal lands on Talus and warns Rachi of an incoming Imperial attack on the rebel base there following Vader's successful attempt at reading his mind through the Force. 
> 
> A mysterious Dark Jedi known as Namman Cha has been summoned by Vader to destroy rebel scouts on the Corellian spaceport...

Everything seemed rather peaceful on Kashyykk when the Mantis landed in the cargo bay area of the Imperial Refinery. It was decided that Cere would go with Trilla to lend aid to the Partisans and Wookies, while Cal would travel to Talus alone. Merrin was to stay aboard the Mantis and help Greez should complications arise, something the Lateron wasn't too fond of.

"Stay safe out there alright?" Cal said, watching Trilla and Cere prepare to disembark the ship.

"You too. Keep your comm line open at all times," Cere replied with a stern look.

"I will. Unless BD needs to scramble it, otherwise I'll contact you."

"I hate to interrupt but what is this small silver device attached to the side of the ship?" Merrin asked, peering at the side of the hull curiously.

"What? What device?" Greez waddled down the ramp and went to stand beside Merrin, his eyes focusing on the glowing tracker attached to the side of his ship.

Greez's sudden silence prompted the three Jedi Knights to walk over to check out the commotion. Right away Trilla recognized the device and immediately ignited her weapon, destroying it cleanly in half as the pieces fell to the floor in front of her feet.

"Imperial tracker!" she hissed, replacing her weapon on the side of her belt.

"The Empire won't be far behind if they've been tracking us," Cere said, moving more urgently towards the entrance of the facility.

"Come on, we need to go before the entire fleet starts firing on our position. We'll head for Talus," Cal rushed back inside the ship.

"Do what he says captain! We'll get in contact with you when we're finished here!" Cere yelled, disappearing inside with Trilla right behind.

Hauling himself back to the pilot's seat and shutting the ramp door, Greez started the Mantis' engines and took off from the cargo pad. Thankfully they didn't see any Starships orbiting Kashyykk when they broke through the atmosphere, giving the group hope the Empire hadn't caught up to their trail just yet. Greez set a course for the Corellian system where Talus was located.

"Hey Greez, have you ever been to Talus?" Cal asked, sitting in the co-pilot seat to monitor the radars.

"Once or twice. Talus is one of the Twin Worlds that orbit the Centerpoint System from what I've heard during my travels. Talus and Tralus are two of the five inhabitable planets on the system, and I've only been there so Cere could meet up with some of her informants before we picked you up on Bracca."

"I would like to see this Talus," Merrin spoke up.

"It's a beautiful planet, with forests, mud flats and grass plains. I hear its one of the few planets that chose to remain neutral, so the Empire actually left them alone as long as they don't participate or try to start anything funny."

_Beep-wooo!_

"That's right buddy. We're going to see a planet Cordova hasn't been on yet."

* * *

Leaving Greez to pilot the ship and after asking Merrin to alert him when they arrived, Cal took the chance to meditate in the back of the ship. The moment he knelt down on the circle, his mind was blanketed by darkness and evil.

It was Vader.

The Sith Lord was trying to invade his consciousness again.

This time he wasn't going to let Vader in so easily.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself mentally, Cal focused on the light side of the Force, drawing strength from it

 _ **Cal Kestis, I see you are learning from your mistakes. My hold over you is not as strong as the previous connection**_.

_Did you really think I'd let you continue tormenting me with images of the Dark Side? I won't become an Inquisitor!_

Vader's presence chuckled loudly within their shared limbo world.

_**I know you are not on Kashyykk, your absence in presence from the Force there indicates so. Tell me Cal Kestis, where is it you are headed?** _

_I'll never tell you!_

**_Foolish boy. Have you forgotten I have more control over the Force than you do?_ **

Cal felt Vader's presence being probing his mind and quickly tuned out every distraction possible as he put up a mental barrier. The strain to keep it up was exhausting for him as the Sith Lord continued his mental assault. Cal flinched several times from the effort until blood began trickling down the side of his lips, feeling himself losing the battle until Vader suddenly halted his attack.

_**Interesting. You have learned to strengthen your connection to the Force.** _

Could Vader be retreating?

 _ **However, you still have much to learn...young Padawan**_.

A burst of Force energy shattered through Cal's mental barrier and Vader was able to probe inside his mind, searching every crevice until he discovered where they were headed and a victorious laugh filled the ginger-haired Knight's ears.

_**Talus? So there is a rebel base there. Thank you for revealing this to me Cal Kestis, any signs of uprising shall be quashed by the Empire without mercy. All those innocent lives shall be on your hands** _ _._

_No!_

Cal's eyes snapped open as he gasped in several breaths, steady dripping of blood the only evidence of what had just transpired.

"Cal? I heard some noise. Is everything alright?" Merrin knelt beside the panting Knight and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"V-Vader! He knows we're going to Talus!" Cal informed the Nightsister, eyes wide with panic.

"That is not a good thing," Merrin frowned.

"No. It's not. We have to get there and warn them of the coming attack," Cal struggled to his feet with Merrin's aid.

"Greez sent me to inform you we are arriving."

* * *

-Kashyyk-

"We're almost to the Shadowlands," Cere said, taking position behind a wall to fire off more shots when she could.

Trilla deflected another blaster shot from a trooper and cut him across the torso. Sensing one of them attempting to sneak up from behind, she unleashed a backwards kick then swung her weapon skyward, cutting off a limb while shoving the trooper off the platform with a Force push.

"Are we searching for Tarfful and the Partisan leader?" Trilla inquired once the area was clear of enemies.

"According to these coordinates, they are in the deepest part of the Shadowlands. Mari's last transmission indicated they are holed up near the Origin Lake with no means of escape. Our mission is to go there and aid them in pushing the Empire's influence out of the Imperial Refinery."

The two made their way over to a gap and noticed dangling vines hanging overhead.

"I guess we're swinging?" Trilla holstered her weapon and reached a hand out, using the Force to pull the vine towards her.

She wrapped the vine around herself, took a few steps back, then ran forward and swung across the wide gap, releasing just at the edge so Cere could cross. Cere did the same and swung over easily, no longer of using the Force after her conversation with Cal.

"Are you not afraid of using the Force anymore?" Trilla asked.

"Fear leads to the dark side. I was afraid back then, when I first saw you became an Inquisitor, and that fear drove me to tap into it. That was the reason I cut myself off and stopped wielding my lightsaber. Meeting Cal and sharing my experiences with him made me realize, we all have to face the dark side, it's what being a Jedi means but not falling to its seductive lure is what allowed me to embrace the Force once more."

A powerful presence in the Force stopped Trilla from responding as her head lifted up in alarm.

"There's a Inquisitor here," she said.

"I would be more surprised if they didn't station someone here after Cal's stunt with the Ninth Sister."

"We need to find Tarfful and fast," Trilla continued walking forward until she came upon several walls.

Cere indicated she should continue forward and her Padawan pushed off from the ground, then began running across the gap using the walls as foot holds.

"She's grown stronger," Cere murmured to herself with a small smile.

* * *

-Talus-

The planet of Talus came into view not long after Cal cleaned up the blood from his lips. He had contacted Cere on Kashyykk to inform her that the Sith Lord knew he was headed to Talus, a piece of news which worried the former Jedi Knight immensely. If the Empire managed to destroy the rebel base on Talus, they would lose a foothold in the galaxy to help push the Emperor's forces back.

"It's so beautiful," Merrin murmured, staring at the looming planet from the cockpit window.

"It's one of the few planets the Emperor didn't touch, like I already said."

Cal gave a small chuckle and kept his eyes on the radar. There was nothing abnormal he was picking up for the time being. Slowly the Mantis began to breach the planet's surface and a vast scenery of green greeted the trio. The view reminded Cal so much of the forests of Kashyykk, he was glad the Empire chose not to strip the planet of its natural resources.

"Alright kid is there any place I can land this thing?" Greez asked.

Green eyes scanned the radar for several moments.

"Yea there's a landing bay we can use near the forest. How is it that every time we arrive on a new planet, you manage to get us close to our destination?"

"You're looking at the galaxy's best pilot, what'd you expect?" the Lateron boasted proudly.

"Is he really?" Merrin whispered.

"We'll just let him think that," Cal replied back.

The Nightsister gave a rare smile at his comment.

Greez pulled back on the controls and brought the Mantis to a landing stop in a remote area of the forest. BD-1 hopped onto Cal's back while the latter grabbed his lightsaber from the table.

"Stay safe out there," Greez said.

"Thanks Greez. Get out of here as soon as I'm gone alright? The Empire won't be far from what I told you back there."

"I know kid. Let's just hope I can slip past their detection."

"I can help you with that," Merrin offered, coming out from the back of the ship.

Greez mumbled something about witches and magick as he walked back inside the Mantis. Merrin turned to face Cal and took his hands in hers, giving them a tight squeeze as they locked eyes.

"Try not to get yourself killed out there Cal Kestis. I won't be around to save you a second time," she informed with a wry smile.

"Thanks Merrin. I promise I won't do anything reckless. Keep Greez and the Mantis safe for me will you?"

"You have my word."

"May the Force be with you," Cal heard himself say.

Merrin blinked several times at his sudden words and gave a nod.

"May the Force be with you too Cal Kestis."

The Jedi Knight watched in silence as the Mantis took off from the ground to escape the Empire's clutches.

* * *

Darth Vader's ship landed on the Imperial Outpost on Corellia after the Sith Lord discovered Cal Kestis was heading for Talus. If there were rebels hiding out on Talus, then he would make the preemptive strike to destroy them before they could even have a chance to strike. Once the boy was filled with despair at what he had done, it will be easier to bring him to the Dark Side of the Force.

"Lord Vader, we've been expecting your arrival!" the commander in charge of the Outpost greeted as he walked down the ramp of his ship.

"Are the troops ready to move out commander?" Vader asked, every breath sounding mechanical thanks to the machine on his chest.

"Yes. Most have been transported to the hangars after receiving your orders. At your command, they will be heading for Talus. Our recon scouts have discovered the rebel base deep within the forests of Talus."

"Very good. Send them to Corellia and wipe out the rebel base. If there are signs of any surviving Jedi among their ranks...kill or capture them. There is one particular Jedi, a human male wielding a dual-bladed lightsaber, he is to be brought back to me _unharmed_. Do you understand?" Vader turned to look at the commander through his helmet.

The poor clone nearly fainted as he felt the overbearing presence of the Sith Lord weighing down on him.

"Y-Yes my lord!"

"Has Namman Cha arrived?" the Sith Lord whirled around, his cape billowing like a curtain around his shoulders.

"Yes my lord. He has been dispatched to the Corellian spaceport to dispatch the rebels who are meeting there as per instructed."

"Good. I shall wait here for his return. You are dismissed."

The clone was more than glad to leave the room while Vader studied the screens in front of him.

* * *

It was official.

Cal hated this place.

He didn't know which planet was worse.

Talus or Kashyyk.

BD-1 was busy scanning everything and anything it came across while Cal trailed behind in amusement, watching the little droid hop from one plant to the other, his sensor lights going crazy with scanning. The Knight was about to call out to his droid when BD stumbled upon several spiders lurking overhead. The Arachne dropped down and began advancing towards Cal, baring their fangs for him to see.

"BD come back here," Cal called.

His little droid hopped onto his back and Cal ignited his lightsaber, easily cutting through their bodies as the spiders tried to jump at him.

"I hate spiders," Cal muttered when the last one was dead.

_Beep-fwee-boop!_

"You can say that again buddy."

Continuing his trek towards wherever the base was located, a sudden noise in the distance alarmed Cal as he stopped walking. The noise sounded again and a large animal reared its head, startling the Knight as he pedaled backwards furiously.

"What in the world is that!" he breathed in shock.

The peaceful creature looked down at him with a mouthful of grass, then went back to grazing, completely ignoring Cal as he slowly stood back up.

"I think it's peaceful," he said to BD.

_Boop!_

"Yea let's try not to spook it."

He carefully made his way around the creature and continued walking forward. He got several paces away from the creature when rustling noises from the bushes aroused his suspicion. Immediately crouching down to avoid being seen, Cal placed a finger against his lips when BD looked his way.

"Halt! Who goes there!?" a male voice demanded.

Blasters were pointed his way from several directions.

"Easy. I'm a friend," Cal called out, spying a rebel peering out from behind one of the bushes.

"That's what many have said before trying to wipe us out," another voice added.

"I'm looking for Rachi Sitra," Cal said.

A figure leaped into the air and came slamming downwards with a lightsaber ignited. Cal reacted instinctively with his own lightsaber, the blue glow of his blade humming as the weapons clashed with one another.

"You're a Jedi?!" the Twi'lek said in surprise.

"You're one yourself aren't you?" Cal replied, pushing her back with his weapon.

The Twi'lek made a few signals with her hands and the rebels lowered their weapons.

"I am Rachi Sitra. You are?..."

"Cal. Cal Kestis, a Jedi Knight who survived Order 66 and the Great Jedi Purge," Cal said, holstering his weapon.

"Did you get my message? Is that why you're here?"

"Yea. I came to lend my help if it means weakening the Empire. Look, you're all in danger here. Darth Vader knows about this place, which means he'll most likely be planning an attack soon. You have to rally the others to put a defense or everyone will die."

Rachi regarded the human male carefully, her eyes searching his for signs of deception but Cal remained steadfast and true to his words. She turned and called out to one of the rebels, then quietly spoke to her for a moment.

"We received intelligence from our side that the Empire has been planning a preemptive strike on the base for quite some time. If what you said is true, then we'll need to make haste to prepare for an assault."

Cal followed after Rachi as the rebels began making their way towards their hidden base in the forest.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Namman Cha also appeared in the Star Wars TCG. Information regarding him and his abilities are derived from the Star Wars wiki!_

_I just want to put out a message in regards to this story. Recently someone has informed me that another author has stolen the first chapter of this story, translated it into Russian, and uploaded onto a Russian fanfiction site and had the audacity to claim that they wrote it. Thankfully a few readers of this story alerted me to it, and I checked into the validity of the claim. I originally planned on stopping this story to prevent the other author from stealing all my chapters, but that author has since deleted the story from their page. While I'm glad and happy to see so many people loving this story, I have not given anyone permission to repost this story in another language._

_If you want to translate this story into another language, I ask you please merely 1) inform me beforehand about this and 2) properly credit me in your story if I give you permission to do so._

_It's just proper etiquette my dear readers. No one likes plagiarizers._

_Until the next chapter._

_Celsius Fate~_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again I just want to put this out there. Please DO NOT translate my story unless you have asked me beforehand. If I am alerted to another author stealing my chapters and posting them in another language on another site without my knowledge/permission, I will stop uploading new chapters to this story all together. 
> 
> To the readers who alerted me to what happened and helped me get my story taken down off the other site, this chapter is for you guys <3


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cal helps Rachi and the Rebels repel an attack by the Empire and reunites briefly with Ahsoka Tano. A conversation with the Togruta reveals a shocking piece of information that may shake the Jedi Knight's resolve to walk the path of light.
> 
> Meanwhile Trilla and Cere have made contact with Tarrful but encounters the Sixth Brother back on Kashyyk.

The base on Talus was indeed well hidden within the depths of the forest. If it weren't for the rebels and Rachi guiding him, Cal would have never found this place on his own. It was situated in between two large trees and the top of the base was covered with leaves, no doubt to help them camouflage into its surroundings. There were two rebels standing at the entrance and they quickly stepped aside when Rachi nodded at them.

"Welcome to the base," Rachi said as they stepped through the doors.

It wasn't anything fancy or big compared to what he's seen on his journey so far, but Cal noticed a bunch of rebels putting together weapons and stockpiling ammunition in one corner of the base. There was a large holotable in the middle of the area, with the planet Talus projected for everyone to see. Cal stepped up to it and BD hopped off his back to study the map, making noises from time to time.

"Everyone, this is Cal Kestis, a fellow Jedi Knight who has heard my transmission and come to lend aid."

All eyes locked onto the ginger-haired Knight as he gave a uncomfortable wave.

"Hi there," he said with a nervous smile.

"Welcome to the resistance," one of the Rebels yelled over the noise when the awkward introduction was over.

The base became lively again as everyone went back to what they were doing, with the occasional rebel giving a greeting to a perplexed Cal. Not knowing what to do, he simply trailed after the Twi'lek as she told everyone about the imminent attack from the Empire. That news seemed to have kicked everyone into overdrive as they began fortifying their defenses and setting up strategic choke points to stall the Empire for as long as possible.

Cal studied the base's infrastructure and came to a conclusion.

"Hey uhh Rachi? Can I talk to you?" he called.

The Twi'lek paused and turned her head to look at him.

"What is it?"

"This base...it can't be properly defended. You know that right?"

"Yes. Which is why I've ordered those who aren't fighting to move everything away from here to a more secure location. Those who can't fight are to be evacuated first, then we'll follow behind to guard them as we move."

So she realized the base wouldn't hold against an attack from the Empire either.

"Then this fight is just a ruse to stall the Empire?"

Alarms starting ringing at that moment to signal an incoming attack from the Empire. Cal sucked in a sharp breath when he looked at the holotable, noticing the sheer size of the army sent by the Sith Lord to attack.

"I knew they were planning an early attack but this is way earlier than expected!" Rachi hissed, pressing several buttons on the holotable to display a view of the ground troops of the Empire.

"Rachi we won't make it out in time! We'll have to defend this place to buy the others time!" one of the Rebels said, grabbing a blaster rifle from the pile of weapons in the corner.

"I'll help you," Cal said.

"I appreciate it," Rachi replied just as the ground began to rumble and shake.

"They brought AT-ST with them!"

"I got this," Cal headed for the door before Rachi could stop him.

* * *

Plasma energy bolts whizzed by Cal's face the moment he stepped out of the door. A small group of Rebels were hiding behind abandoned crates, firing shots towards the Stormtroopers when able. The AT-ST were the main problem though, with their longer range of fire. Igniting his lightsaber to deflect several shots back towards the Stormtroopers, Cal ran for one of the AT-ST and slid underneath as it unleashed a barrage of electric grenades on the ground.

He had the unfortunate timing of landing in one last time and the experience was anything _but_ pleasant.

Definitely had to steer clear of those.

Once the grenades were done discharging the electric fields, Cal raised his lightsaber and slashed at one of the legs, feeling the blade cut through the metal and knocking the AT-ST onto its back. The cockpit opened as the pilot hurriedly scrambled out, only to be met with a slash to his back as the ginger-haired Knight attacked from behind. There were three more AT-ST slowly advancing towards the base, and each were a good distance apart from one another.

Cal used the Force to pull one of the Stormtroopers towards him, then impaled the clone with his lightsaber. Another tried to attack from the right but he merely dodged the blow, the Force pushed him away towards the other Stormtroopers behind. The Rebels were grateful for his aid in taking down one of the AT-ST for them as well. Cal did as much as possible, knocking down Stormtroopers in his way while defending the base from being breached.

The three AT-ST paused in their movements and began firing upon the base from where they stood, prompting Cal to rush towards higher ground in order to deflect the blasts back where they came from.

"We can't hold for long if they keep this up!"

Suddenly the AT-ST that had been firing were reduced to a pile of crushed metal as Rachi jumped down from the tower of the base with another familiar face standing beside her. Cal whipped his head around to find Ahsoka had come to the Rebel's aid as well.

"Ahsoka? Is that you?" he said in shock.

"We'll catch up later Cal. We got work to do," the Togruta replied, igniting her twin lightsabers which were white in color, something Cal had never seen before.

Together the three Jedi jumped into the battle and forced the Stormtroopers back, clearly the Empire did not expect to run into three Jedi fighting against them. Using the Force to aid him, Cal took down one group of clones while only suffering minor injuries to himself. Yet when he looked over to where Ahsoka and Rachi were fighting, it was clear he lacked the elegance, grace, and power they do.

Though he was appointed as a Knight by Cere, when he was fighting beside these two, Cal felt like a Padawan all over again.

Splitting his saber down the middle so he could wield one in each hand, Cal took up his Jar'Kai stance and became a whirling tornado of blue blades as his lightsabers slashed through the group of clones that had closed in around him. One of the Stormtroopers fired a shot at him, the blast nicking the base of his neck but Cal ignored the injury and unleashed a overhead slam with his weapons.

"Retreat!" he heard one of the commanders order.

Clearly the troops were unprepared for an encounter with three Jedi.

The Empire's army quickly retreated to their transports and took off for their outpost, while the Rebels below raised their weapons in victory.

* * *

Cal deactivated his lightsaber to hang back onto his belt as he made his way over to Ahsoka, the Togruta female speaking to the Twi'lek in conversation. The ginger-haired Knight gave a wave of his hand, prompting the other two Jedi to break off their talk and nod at him.

"Ahsoka, I didn't expect to see you here of all places."

"I got Rachi's transmission on my encrypted comms and thought I'd lend a hand. Hera and the others are still busy back on Lothal, so I was the only one free."

"I thought you were searching for your friend Ezra?" Cal reached out to scoop BD-1 onto his back.

"Sabine is looking for him while I'm here. We're close to tracking down his location, I can feel it in the Force."

_Beep-fwee-doo._

"I know buddy. The Empire isn't going to give up that easily."

Ahsoka smiled at the little droid and reached a hand towards BD-1.

"Hey little guy."

_Fwee!_

"Can you even blush!?" Cal asked, watching as BD's antennas flattened happily against its head.

"We're almost finished with the evacuation of the base. The attack the Empire attempted has shown us this base is incapable of repelling large-scale assaults. The only reason we managed to repel them today was the fact that the Empire wasn't expecting there to be three Jedi defending this place along with the Rebels," Rachi said.

"I agree," Ahsoka remarked.

"What's going to happen now then?" Cal couldn't help but inquire.

Rachi pointed to the holotable in the center where Cal could see a large Starship hovering above another planet.

"We're going to meet up with the main Alliance back on Corellia, but I have another mission on hand. I'm going to Dathomir."

"Dathomir? Why are you going to Dathomir?" the ginger-haired Knight furrowed his brows together in confusion, knowing the only remaining Nightsister was currently aboard the Mantis.

"I'm searching for the Singing Mountain Clan of Dathomiri witches. There is a Nightsister there by the name of Kyrisa who is of interest to the us. Her mastered power of Animal friendship can help us turn the tide against the Empire," Rachi explained.

"I'll go with you. I'm friends with a Nightsister who might be able to provide help," Cal offered.

Both Ahsoka and Rachi turned to look at him when he finished his sentence.

"Nightisters don't leave their coven, and certainly don't travel together with Jedi of all people," Ahsoka stated in a neutral tone.

"Merrin's different. She's been alone all her life ever since General Grievious massacred her entire clan. I befriended her while I was on Dathomir and now she travels with me and my companions," the ginger-haired Knight explained, his eyes narrowing slightly at the Togruta.

"The way you speak of this Nightsister makes it sound like you have feelings for her," Rachi said, her voice slightly accusing.

Cal narrowed his eyes even further and gave a wry laugh.

"The Jedi Code has been instilled in me by Master Tapal ever since I became his Padawan. Jedi are forbidden from having relationships. Merrin and I just happen to be very good friends who understand each other on a deeper level," he said calmly.

Neither Ahsoka nor Rachi looked convinced but they took his word for it.

"Where is this Nightsister friend of yours? I'd like to meet her before we head to Dathomir," the Twi'lek grabbed a crate of supplies from the ground and handed it to another Rebel who was scavenging for parts.

"She's on the Mantis. I'll ask Greez to pick us up later."

* * *

The Mantis flew into view later that evening once all the Empire's ships were gone. Cal had contacted Merrin earlier in regards to traveling back to Dathomir, and the Nightsister was intrigued by the sudden request until he explained it was to accompany someone by the name of Rachi Sitri. Having promised to explain everything in person once they landed, Merrin was eager to get off the ship before Greez had even lowered the ramp.

"Easy there Merrin," the Lateron had finally grown accustomed to her presence.

"I'll be back soon," she said and jumped off.

Cal was waiting for her at the edge of the landing pad with someone she had never seen before. This stranger had purple skin and two tendrils that dangled at the back of her head. Could she be Rachi Sitri that Cal had spoke of earlier? This was Merrin's first time seeing another species aside from a human ever since leaving Dathomir.

"Merrin! I'm so glad you're safe," Cal ran over to give her a hug.

"I am glad to see you are still in one piece as well," Merrin returned the gesture with a smile.

The strange female alien waited for the two to break apart from their hug.

"Merrin, this is Rachi Sitri, a Jedi Knight who survived the Purge like I did. Rachi, this is Merrin, the last Nightsister of her coven from Dathomir."

Merrin scrutinized Rachi from top to bottom and narrowed her eyes slightly.

"What business do you seek with Dathomir? It is not a place a Jedi like yourself should venture to," she said after a few tense moments.

"I wish to seek out the Singing Mountain Clan of Dathomiri Nightsisters."

The mention of the Singing Mountain Clan made Merrin even more suspicious.

"The Singing Mountain Clan does not interact with the other Nightsister covens. They don't take kindly to strangers either, why do you wish to seek them out?"

Rachi glanced at Cal and the latter inclined his head.

"There is a Nightsister by the name of Kyrisa whom I am seeking. I believe her powers may be of help to us so we can repel the Empire's influence off Talus."

"Kyrisa...I have not heard of her since my coven rarely interacted with the Singing Mountain Clan..."

"I would be grateful if you can guide me to where they are," Rachi added.

"Very well. I will lend you my aid in searching for the Singing Mountain Clan. I wish to find out for myself if I am truly the last Nightsister remaining on Dathomir."

The Twi'lek held her hand out for the Nightsister to shake, and the two grasped hands with wary smiles. Merrin wasn't sure if she could trust this Jedi Knight, even if she is of the same order as Cal.

"We'll move out tomorrow after the base is evacuated," Rachi told her.

"I'll help out with anything you might need," Cal offered.

"Great. We can always use an extra pair of hands."

* * *

-Kashyyk-

"We're being pushed back!" Mari shouted, firing off another shot at a Purge Trooper.

Cere and Trilla managed to meet up with Tarfful and Mari after trekking through the Shadowlands, but as they were making their way back to the Imperial Refinery, a battalion of Stormtroopers led by the Sixth Brother were waiting to ambush them. Both sides suffered casualties but the Partisans and Wookies took the biggest hit, as many of them were caught off-guard when a bomb exploded underneath their feet, sending them tumbling into the dark abyss below.

Mari rallied whatever fighters remained and the group were being pushed back towards the Shadowlands.

"We won't be able to hold our position much longer!" another Partisan reported.

Tarfful roared out loud and the other Wookies increased their assault on the Stormtroopers.

Trilla ignited her lightsaber and ran towards an advancing group of clones, using the Force to push them off the walkway, then spun around with her lightsaber and slashed through more of the troops. She pulled one to her side, then impaled him through the chest without looking. The clone troops were scared when they realized they were facing the former Second Sister.

"Follow Trilla's lead!" Cere yelled, running after her Padawan as Trilla cleared a way for the freedom fighters.

They were able to make their way near the entrance of the Imperial Refinery when the Sixth Brother made his grand appearance. A single swing of his lightsaber was enough to knock the entire group off their feet save for Trilla and Cere.

"The traitor Second Sister."

"That voice... _Entiran?_ They promoted _you_ of all the candidates to Sixth Brother? They must be really running out of suitable subjects at the Fortress," Trilla mocked, sneering at her former subordinate.

"Enough talk. Face me in battle," Entiran challenged.

"With pleasure."

The sounds of lightsabers clashing were the only sounds audible as the surrounding area of the Imperial Refinery became a battleground.

* * *

The roaring flames of the fire cast shadows upon Cal's face as he sat near the edge, warming his hands from the cold night air. The other rebels made several fires throughout the nearly abandoned base, and gave one to the Knight to use as a sign of gratitude. Taking this chance to meditate, the moment he closed his eyes, the heaviness of the dark side settled down within his mind. He flinched slightly as Vader tried to reach out to him within the limbo world of the Force.

Merrin noticed Cal's distress and rushed over to his side, wiping away the blood from his lips as emerald orbs opened back up to find her beside him.

"Is it him again?" the Nightsister asked, resting her palm against his cheek while sending small waves of soothing energy into his body.

"Y-Yea. I'm afraid to even meditate now," Cal responded, closing his eyes as the soothing energy chased away the remnants of cold lingering within.

Ahsoka chose this time to sit beside the duo and gave them a look when she saw Merrin's hand on Cal's face. The Nightsister removed her palm from Cal when the energy glow subsided, though she stuck close to his side, the tips of their fingers touching until the Knight retracted his hand. This was no time to be thinking about relationships. The Jedi Code forbade attachments or having romantic feelings for someone, and it was something his master beat into every bone of his body when he was a Padawan.

"Your lightsabers, I noticed they were white back there. How is that possible? I've never seen a white kyber crystal on Ilum," Cal said, hoping to break the tension with conversation.

"I reforged them from the kyber crystals of the Sixth Brother I killed back on Rhaada," the Togruta explained, taking out her weapons and igniting one.

The pure white glow of Ahsoka's lightsaber seemed to mesmerize Cal the longer he stared at it.

"I thought Inquisitor lightsabers glow red? How did you get it to turn white?" Merrin asked.

"It wasn't easy but I used the Force to purify the kyber crystal and it took on a white hue as a result," Ahsoka said.

"Can I?" Cal held a hand out towards her lightsaber.

Hesitating briefly since no one had ever asked to hold her weapons, Ahsoka placed one of them in Cal's hand and the latter was greeted with images in his head. He saw how Ahsoka managed to take down the Sixth Brother on Rhaada, but her lightsabers had been destroyed in the process. Another image showed Ahsoka taking apart the Inquisitor's lightsaber, then purified the kyber crystal within using the Force, the process rendering the crystal white as she forged a new pair for herself.

"It's true. You did use the Force to purify the crystal," he said, opening his eyes to hand her back the weapon.

"What did you do?" she asked curiously.

"I can sense Force echoes left behind by objects. I think it's called Force Psychometry? All I know is it's a really rare gift not all Jedi have because you have to be born with it."

"Interesting. So you can see the past memories of an object or person simply by touching something that belonged to them," Ahsoka murmured.

The ginger-haired knight gave a nod of confirmation.

The Togruta switched her lightsaber off and holstered it.

"What about you? We never got to have a proper talk back on Lothal."

Cal took a breath and let it out slowly.

"Jaro Tapal was my master when I was a Padawan. The two of us were on our assigned Venator when the Emperor executed Order 66. My master...he died protecting me and I hid on Bracca for the next five years after that, working as a rigger in the Scrapper's Yard. If I hadn't used the Force to save a good friend of mine, I wouldn't have ended up being chased by the Empire and Inquisitors. Before Master Tapal died...he gave me his lightsaber, and I've kept it on me since, though I had to reforge it when it broke on Dathomir."

"I've heard of Jaro Tapal. He was strict but also very kind, and always looked after his Padawans. I'm sorry for your loss," Ahsoka said.

"Thanks but I've learned to let it go," Cal answered.

"My master on the other hand..." the Togruta gazed up at the sky.

"What happened to your master?"

"Do you really want to know?" Ahsoka locked eyes with Cal and the latter felt a small chill run up his spine.

"If you want to tell me, sure."

She was silent for the longest time, as if fighting an eternal struggle to reveal who her master truly was.

"My master was Anakin Skywalker, the 'Chosen One' destined to bring balance to the Force."

Cal's eyes widened in shock.

"Your master was Anakin Skywalker!?"

A nod.

"We all thought he died during the Purge!"

A dark laugh came from the Togruta at that point, silencing Cal as he looked at her in bewilderment.

"No. He fell. He became a Sith Lord, the one everyone calls Vader," she revealed in a quiet voice.

Cal was rendered speechless by her comment.

Anakin Skywalker was Darth Vader?!

The wound from Vader impaling him with his lightsaber began aching furiously at that moment, prompting Cal to curl on himself with a hand pressed against the area where he had been stabbed.

"Cal! Is it hurting again?" Merrin reached a hand out over the wound.

"The moment Ahsoka said her master was Anakin Skywalker," Cal said through the pain.

"Did something happen?" the Togruta noticed his discomfort and Merrin's glowing palm.

"Your master used Cal's lightsaber against him during a fight on Nur, in an attempt to take back a Holocron of Force-sensitive children," Merrin said bitterly, concentrating on removing his pain without looking at Ahsoka.

"You have a list of Force-sensitive children!? Maybe it was the one left by Master Nu before she fell during the Purge!" Ahsoka said.

She may have left the Order long ago, but it didn't mean she didn't want to see it restored. As long as even one or two Jedi remained alive, they could train the next generation. Yet a tiny voice inside her head told Ahsoka she was being foolish. The Empire will merely hunt and kill the children down if they were discovered as well. 

Sharp stabs of pain prevented Cal from answering until it finally began to subside.

"I destroyed the Holocron...if the Empire got their hands on it..."

Ahsoka's face fell upon hearing of the holocron's destruction, but she understood nonetheless why Cal chose to do it.

"It would endanger their lives if we did, wouldn't it?" she asked softly.

"Yea."

BD-1 walked over to where Cal was at that moment to hop onto his shoulder. Cal patted the little droid on the head and gave Merrin a look of gratitude when his wound finally stopped aching altogether.

_Fweeee-trill-beep?_

"Yea. It's ok. I trust her," he said.

_Beep!_

"Tell me something Cal, how did you manage to escape from Vader's grasp?"

"Sheer luck," the ginger-haired Knight replied, rubbing the back of his head.

"Be careful of his powers. Don't listen to his empty promises to tempt you to the dark side," Ahsoka warned.

 _'Easier said than done'_ was Cal's inner thought as he gave a nod of his head.

_Trust only in the Force._

Can he truly trust in the Force like his master said?

Would it lead him down a righteous path as a Jedi Knight? Or will it lure him to the dark side to turn him into an Inquisitor?

Cal could feel himself starting to waver between the two paths.

' _Master Tapal...please guide me on the correct path...'_

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Thoughts? Comments?_

_Thanks to those who love reading my story!_

_You guys are the reason why I keep going!_

_Thus begins Cal's struggle to determine his path._

_Will he follow the path of light as a peacekeeper of the galaxy, one of the last surviving Jedi Knights of Order 66?_

_Or will his vision on Bogano come true as he becomes an Inquisitor?_

_See you all next chapter._

_Celsius Fate~_


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cal emotions begin to slip as his past comes back to haunt him despite conquering his fears in Kujet's Tomb....

_"It is time for your lesson Padawan," Jaro Tapal's voice echoed loudly in the darkness around Cal._

_"Master? Where are you?" Cal asked, spinning around to find his master emerging from the shadows._

_"Raise your lightsaber! Have you forgotten to never underestimate your enemy?"_

_The Lasat Jedi Master ignited his weapon and brought it downward on Cal, the latter barely managing to block the blow. Struggling to push his master back, Cal felt powerless as Jaro Tapal used the Force to hold him in place._

_"You are weak. You are no Jedi. I never should have taken you as my Padawan."_

_"No! Master I tried!" Cal cried, his master's words piercing through his heart like swords._

_"My blood is on_ your _hands Cal!"_

_Tapal released Cal at the last moment and swung his weapon towards his apprentice._

_"Master!"_

"Master!" Cal sat up sharply in bed, his forehead matted with sweat as his chest heaved up and down from the nightmare.

The dream he just had was similar to the vision back in Kujet's tomb on Dathomir.

_Boop-beep?_

BD-1 hopped onto Cal's shoulder and looked at him, his antennas flattened against his head.

"I'm fine buddy...just a bad dream."

Cal thought he had already let go of the past when he accepted it back on Dathomir, so why was he still having these dreams? He looked down at his hands, his master's words still embedded within his brain.

 _My blood is on your hands_.

"I tried Master...I really tried...I'm sorry for being unable to save you. I'm sorry for never finding out why the Commander and his troops betrayed us," he murmured.

Deep down within the Jedi Knight, he still hated himself for being so weak. If only he had been stronger, listened to his Master's words, then perhaps both of them could have managed to escape to Bracca. Instead he was the only one who did, and rather than try to find out what exactly caused the Clone Troops to rebel, he hid like a coward on Bracca for five years, living in constant fear of being discovered as a Jedi. He should have been seeking ways to avenge his Master's death.

"Look at yourself Cal...why couldn't you have been stronger? Then Master Tapal would still be alive," he said, clenching his hands together.

 _There is no emotion, there is peace_.

"I can't stop feeling these emotions even if I tried, Master."

Vader's attempts at invading his mind whenever he tried to meditate was slowly starting to take its toll on him. His inability to discover why Order 66 was given was another dilemma that plagued him. How can he trust in the Force when it's done nothing but bring him grief, sorrow and anger? Maybe he should have never healed his connection to the Force since leaving Bracca.

BD-1 stood in front of Cal and beeped several times.

"I'm sorry BD. I guess the responsibilities of being a Jedi is finally catching up with me. I feel so helpless and weak from time to time, like when my kyber crystal broke on Ilum. Then, seeing Ahsoka and Rachi fight with ease today...it's really making me doubt myself as a Jedi."

_Boop-trill-doo?_

"I'm trying my best bud. Remember when we were on Dathomir the first time and I broke my master's lightsaber?"

_Beep?_

"I saw a apparition of Master Tapal within Kujet's tomb...he said his blood was on my hands and that I was unfit to be a Jedi. He blamed me for his death...and the anguish I felt was what caused me to break the lightsaber," Cal divulged, staring at the bipedal droid on his lap.

_Foo-boop?_

"I know I conquered the apparition the second time I went back, but now I'm starting to believe his words may have been right. If only I was stronger back then on board the Venator. Then Master Tapal wouldn't have died protecting me from the clones who had been our friends. Even now...I still can't figure out what exactly went wrong, if there were any signs I missed that the clones would end up betraying us."

Cal rested his head against the cool metal of the ship and stared at nothing in particular.

Merrin walked in with a bottle of water in hand, giving it to the crestfallen Jedi, the latter accepting automatically without looking at her.

"Is something the matter Cal?" the Nightsister sat down beside him on the bed.

"Nightmare," the Jedi Knight answered, taking a drink of water.

"Vader again?"

"No. It was a dream of Master Tapal."

Merrin tilted her head and noticed the look on Cal's face.

"Want to tell me what it was about? I find sharing one's nightmares helps make them seem less scary, at least back when I was on Dathomir when my sisters were alive."

"Back on Dathomir the first time we landed...I made it inside Kujet's tomb and ran into a...ghost of my Master if you will. He told me I was weak, that he would've lived if I hadn't been such a coward, and his blood was on my hands. It was the reason why I broke my lightsaber and had to go to Ilum."

"And you had a similar dream just now?"

"Yea."

The Nightsister took Cal's hand and gave it a comforting squeeze.

"You are not weak, Cal Kestis. I have seen you fight against Taron Malicos on Dathomir."

"I only won because you helped. He would've crushed me if it weren't for you," he objected, recalling the battle that took place within the tomb.

"Yes but you took the first step I couldn't. You fought back against Malicos, whereas I was too afraid to until I met you."

"I wish I was never chosen to become a Jedi in the first place," Cal sighed and leaned back against the wall.

Seeing him this upset was worrisome for the Nightsister as she didn't know how to comfort him. The ways of the Jedi were not something she was familiar with, having grown up in two different orders. The only thing they had in common was the Force.

"Trust the Force, I'm sure it will guide you on the right path."

Cal laughed darkly at that statement, a laugh Merrin had never heard from the Knight until today.

"How many people have said that to me? Trust in the Force, the Force will guide you on the right path. If it was supposed to guide me then why did my Master have to die?!" Cal's eyes flashed briefly with anger and hatred, a sight that spooked the Nightsister as she stared at him silently.

"If what Cere told me is true, you were only a child back then Cal. Your Master wouldn't want you to blame yourself for his death. He made sure you escaped the Purge, I am sure that was his number one priority."

"No Merrin! You don't get it! If only I hadn't been so weak! If only I had been stronger! I could've done something, _anything_ , to make sure he lived and escaped to Bracca with me! Instead I watched as he was gunned down by the very clones, who up until that point, had been our friends and allies!"

Though he had been taught not to have any emotional attachments since he started at the Academy, Cal allowed himself to cry for the first time in his life as the tears spilled down over his face. He quickly wiped the tears away with the back of his hand.

"You're crying," Merrin said quietly.

"Jedi aren't supposed to have emotions but here I am," Cal gave a dry laugh at himself, "I'm no Jedi, I can't even hold my tears in check."

"You're a human. Humans have emotions, it's impossible to not have any at all."

 _Beep-trill-fwoo_.

"You're right buddy. I have emotions after all don't I? I guess they were just buried away since I was chosen to study at the Academy when I was younger."

"I may not know much about the Jedi and their ways, but to me, you are a true Jedi."

"Thank you Merrin. I'm glad you decided to join us on Dathomir," Cal said, having calmed his emotions.

"You're welcome. We're about to depart for Dathomir soon, you should find that Jedi friend of yours."

* * *

-Kashyyk-

Entiran was no easy opponent, this much Trilla was certain off back when she was still an Inquisitor. He had been one of the officers working for her as the former Second Sister, and his skills already earned him a reputation among her Purge Trooper ranks. It wasn't surprising in the least that he had been chosen to become a Inquisitor. His usage of the Force was almost on par with hers.

"Tired already?" he taunted behind his mask.

"You wish," Trilla spat, shoving him back with the Force to give herself some distance between the two.

The Sixth Brother didn't give her any chance to recover for he instantly leaped back at her with his lightsaber swinging. Trilla ducked to the side and nicked him with the blade of her own weapon. Entiran felt the blow and stumbled backwards from it, but quickly regained his footing and threw his saber in a circle in front of him. Trilla blocked this with the blade of her weapon.

"Scared to fight me with your full strength then are we?" Entiran mocked.

"I don't need to use full strength against the likes of you," she replied, spinning around with her saber.

Recalling the trick Cal pulled on her during the Bogano Vault, Trilla deliberately shut her lightsaber off, taking Entiran off-guard by this and she used the chance to strike at him. His lightsaber clattered to the ground, but was quickly retrieved by Trilla before the Sixth Brother could react.

"What is an Inquisitor without his lightsaber?" Trilla said.

"Don't think that's the only one I have," Entiran took out another lightsaber he had hidden on his belt.

Trilla growled and launched herself at the Inquisitor as their battle continued.

* * *

The Mantis took off from Talus once Rachi was sure the Rebel base had been fully evacuated. With Ahsoka remaining behind to oversee things in case the Empire tried another tactic on them. Prior to taking off from the landing pad, the Togruta made Cal swear not to reveal to anyone who her master was. Cal could see what the repercussions would be if word got out that a former Jedi Knight had become one of the most feared Sith Lords in the galaxy.

It was natural he swore to keep silent.

"Where exactly does the Singing Mountain Clan live?" Rachi asked, looking at Merrin questioningly.

"As the name implies, they live in the Singing Mountain region of Dathomir," Merrin replied automatically.

Cal stifled the urge to laugh when he heard Merrin's tone of voice.

"I hope you know where they are located on Dathomir," the Twi'lek added.

"You offend me with your words Jedi. I have lived on Dathomir my entire life, it was part of my studies to remember where all the Clans are located, even if we never met the others in person."

This was going to be an awkward trip to Dathomir if they were going to constantly be at one another's throats the entire time.

"So Rachi, what are you going to do once you find this Nightsister you're looking for?" Cal said, hoping to divert the tension elsewhere.

"Convince her to come back with me to help the Alliance," the Twi'lek sat down on the couch.

"Nightsisters do not ally themselves with anyone. I told you this back on Talus. Even if you do manage to convince the Mother of that clan to let you search for your Nightsister, the chances of her coming back with us is very low."

"It is still worth a try," Rachi insisted.

The ginger-haired Knight got off the couch and went to sit in the co-pilot seat beside Greez, unwilling to listen to the two of them continue bickering with one another. The Lateron was busy piloting, but glanced his way when Cal sat down with a small sigh.

"Long day?" the Lateron asked.

"Too long," he replied with a small cough.

"Sounds like you're coming down with something kid. Maybe I'll whip up one of my great-grandma's recipes for you when you're done," Greez offered as he kept his eyes on the instruments.

Cal gave Greez a grateful smile.

"What are they arguing about back there?" Greez peered around to see Merrin talking heatedly with their guest.

"I don't know. Something about Nightsisters and the way they work. I have a headache just listening to them."

"I thought all Jedi were friendly like you and Cere?"

A laugh escaped Cal's lips, "I guess not all Jedi are the same. Cere and I are probably an exception. Have you forgotten Trilla wanted to kill me the first time she met me back on Bracca?"

"Yea, but that was when she was an Inquisitor. She's actually a lot nicer once you get to know her," Greez fondly said, praising Cere's apprentice without even realizing it.

"I think she's starting to grow on you," Cal said with a smirk.

"Hey now. She's Cere's apprentice, you don't want to get on her bad side."

Apprentice.

That was the word Jaro Tapal used to call Cal back then too.

"You alright there kid?" Greez observed Cal going silent after what he had just said.

"Yea. Just thought of something, that's all."

"Is it more Jedi stuff?"

"It's nothing Greez. Don't worry about it."

The Lateron gave Cal a look over and went back to piloting the ship. Cal leaned back against the seat of his chair and closed his eyes, hoping to catch some sleep until their arrival on Dathomir.

* * *

Darth Vader suspected the attack on the rebel base was going to end in failure after probing Cal Kestis' mind. No doubt the young Jedi would have likely warned the rebels to prepare for an attack. When the Commander in charge of the assault reported they had been forced to retreat, what the Sith Lord wasn't prepared for was hearing his former Padawan had a hand in repelling the attack.

"So you insist on standing in my way Ahsoka...so be it. When we meet, I will not show you mercy."

The doors to the bridge opened as a dark-clad male walked in, the clone troops hastily jumping out of the way when they realized who was there. Vader lifted up his head as the male neared him, expecting to hear good news from the latter.

"My lord Vader, I have done as you asked. The rebels has been crushed on the Corellian spaceport," the Dark Jedi reported.

"Good. You have done a great service to the Galactic Empire," the Sith Lord praised.

"What is your next task?"

"There is someone I wish for you to seek out. The Empire has had their eyes on this target for quite some time, as we believe her powers will be of a great asset to us. Travel to Dathomir, seek out the Dathomiri Witches and find a Nightsister by the name of Kyrisa. Bring her back to me, that will be your next task."

Having heard of the Dathomiri Witches during his travels and tenure working for the Galactic Empire, the Dark Jedi was slightly taken aback by the sudden request to bring a Nightsister in. What could the Empire possibly want with someone who dabbles in magick and not the Force like they did?

"Forgive me for asking my lord, but for what purpose exactly?"

"You need not know. Merely bring her back," Vader rebuffed, turning around to face the bridge as a sign the conversation was over.

"As you wish my lord," Namman Cha gave a bow then backed out of the bridge to head to his personal ship.

* * *

Cal was expecting to trek through Dathomir in search of the Singing Mountain Clan with Rachi and Merrin, but to his great surprise and delight, Merrin was able to teleport them directly to the entrance where the Clan was located right after disembarking the Mantis. What he hadn't counted on was having weapons pointed at his face the moment they arrived in a flash of green.

"Who goes there?!" one of the Sisters demanded.

"We wish to seek an audience with the Clan Mother," Merrin said, stepping forward to speak for the trio.

"You are a Nightsister, why are you here on our territory? You know the rules of Dathomir," the second guard spoke, pointing her weapon in Merrin's face.

Merrin responded with a retaliation of her own, her hand glowing green as she brushed the weapon aside effortlessly.

"I come in peace to seek an audience with your Clan Mother," she repeated in a firm voice.

"You'll require more than a pretty mouth and face to persuade us to grant you passage," the first Sister said as the two took up a defensive position.

Cal intervened with his lightsaber, igniting it as he pointed the tip at one of the guards.

"We seek an audience with your Clan Mother on urgent business. Please let us pass," he said.

"A Jedi? Why is a Jedi on Dathomir? You have no business here!"

"Let them pass," a powerful voice resounded out loud.

The guards lowered their weapons and stepped aside as a regal figure bearing a crown emerged from the top of the stairs.

"I am Augwynne Djo, the Clan Mother of the Singing Mountain Clan. Nightsister Merrin, I have heard of the massacre of your people. While we are not technically allies, it still pains me when fellow Nightsisters perish. You have my condolences for what has happened," Augwynne said.

"Thank you Mother Djo. I came here with two Jedi who wish to speak with you."

"The Jedi are all but extinct, how can-"

Augwynne paused when she noticed Cal's lightsaber and waved a hand.

"Put your weapon away, young Jedi. Let us speak in a more suitable place."

The trio followed the Clan Mother up the stairs towards a more quiet area where they could converse in private.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_I know Jedi aren't supposed to show emotion, and Cal did let go of the past during the game, but I wanted to show the trauma still haunts him. As a reader pointed out, the road to embracing the dark side lies in a Jedi's strong emotions that linger. Cal's experiences as a Padawan can certainly be a catalyst to him becoming a Sith/Inquisitor, and this chapter serves to show that he's slowly starting to lose control over his emotions. Perhaps with a few more pushes, he'll truly turn to the dark side, in order to have more power to protect those he cares about (kinda like Anakin)._

_See you all next chapter._

_Celsius Fate~_


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An encounter with a Dark Jedi prompts Cal to tap into the dark side after Merrin is held hostage....

Augwynne Djo led the trio to a small cave near the main gathering area of the Clan. Their arrival at the Singing Mountain certainly did draw a lot of attention as the Sisters came out to study them curiously, having heard of another Nightsister from a different coven arriving at their home. Merrin did her best to avoid the stares and whispers from the others around her, wishing she still had her hooded cloak on her to hide her visage.

"We have privacy here. What is it you wish to know?" the Clan Mother asked once they were inside the cave.

Rachi was the one who stepped forward at this point and gave a small bow of her head.

"I am Rachi Sitra, please forgive the sudden intrusion upon your home but I am searching for a Nightsister by the name of Kyrisa. I heard she is part of the Singing Mountain Clan, would it be possible to speak to her?" the Twi'lek inquired politely of the Clan Mother.

Hearing this the Clan Mother cast a slightly suspicious look upon the Jedi Knight.

"Kyrisa has been banished from the Clan," Augwynne said.

"Banished? For what reason?" Merrin spoke up, for banishing a Nightsister from a coven was a rare occurrence.

"She challenged the former Clan Mother Gethzerion for control of the clan, which ended in failure. However, it was her power of Animal friendship that led us to banishing her from the planet itself."

"Animal friendship? It is a rare gift among our kind to be able to control the flora and fauna of Dathomir, but certainly it wouldn't lead to her being exiled?" Merrin said from beside Cal.

"She tried to overrun our home with a herd of rancors under her control," Augwynne stated, giving the Nightsister a look.

"Do you know where she has been exiled to then?" Rachi interrupted, slightly annoyed that she had to go out of her way to track down this mysterious Kyrisa now that she was no longer on Dathomir.

"Her ship crashed on the Outer Rim planet known as Hoth. While I advise you not to seek her out, if you truly wish to do so, you will find her there."

Hoth.

Cal had heard of the planet from his time aboard the Venator with Jaro Tapal. It was a desolate planet full of snow and ice, almost like Ilum in a sense, minus a cave full of kyber crystals. No one rarely traveled there thanks to its location and harsh terrain. For the ship to have crash landed there, it will test the Nightsister's will to live.

"Then Hoth is where I must go," Rachi said, giving the Clan Mother another curt nod of her head.

"I must warn you. Kyrisa is not someone you should underestimate. Her power of Animal friendship is not just restricted to the fauna of Dathomir, but to other planets as well. If you encounter her on Hoth, take extreme caution in approaching."

"Thank you for your time and assistance," the Twi'lek said as they turned to leave the cave.

"One second. I wish to speak with the Nightsister."

Merrin gave Cal a nod of her head and waited for him to go outside the cave.

* * *

Outside the two Jedi Knights converged in a corner of the main gathering area and spoke quietly with one another.

"So you're going to Hoth then aren't you?" Cal asked.

"Yes. I must track down this Nightsister and make sure she doesn't walk the wrong path. What about you? Do you wish to follow me to Hoth?"

Cal scratched the back of his head.

"I'm sure Greez wouldn't mind giving you a lift-"

_Beep-fwee!_

"Hang on a second," Cal broke off and walked over to the opposite side of the area.

The communication was coming from the Mantis.

"What's going on Greez?"

"It's Cere and Trilla! They're back on the Mantis and Trilla sustained injuries during her fight with the Inquisitor," the Lateron said over the comms.

"We're on our way back," the Knight replied instantly.

Merrin came out of the cave precisely that moment and Cal went up to inform her of what Greez just said. The two turned towards the Twi'lek to explain what was going on.

"We need to return to the ship. Our friend has been injured in a fight against an Inquisitor," Cal explained.

"Of course. I can travel to Hoth on my own if you require medical assistance elsewhere," Rachi answered with a nod of her head.

"Where are you going to get a ship from?"

"Don't worry about-"

The Twi'lek cut off her sentence upon sensing a strong presence within the Force. Cal perceived the same threat just as several bodies of the Sisters came flying over head, landing with a harsh thud upon the rocky floors of the mountain they lived on.

The two Knights ignited their lightsabers.

"Is it a Sith Lord?" Cal murmured, taking up a defensive stance.

"No. This feels weaker compared to a Sith Lord, but there's raw, unbridled power that I can feel. It could be a Dark Jedi," the Twi'lek responded.

"Dark Jedi?"

"Master Obba once told me Dark Jedi only think of themselves, they act alone and their ultimate goal is personal wealth and importance. They spread misery wherever they go, and prey upon the weak and vulnerable."

Cal furrowed his brows together upon hearing this. He had never met a Dark Jedi before, and prior to his encounter with Vader, had only heard about the Sith from his master.

A figure came walking up the stairs with a red lightsaber in hand and immediately Rachi tensed, her stance became offensive as she held her ground beside Cal.

"It's him," she hissed.

"You recognize him?" Cal ignited the other end of his lightsaber and split it apart, taking up the Jar'Kai stance.

"Namman Cha, a Dark Jedi who serves under Emperor Palpatine. We crossed paths before many times, he's...like an old enemy of sorts," Rachi answered.

"I'm guessing he's not easy to defeat?"

"No. Be wary of him. He can use Force Lightning," Rachi warned.

The Dark Jedi casually batted aside the Sisters who tried to attack him, their primitive weapons no match for his lightsaber. It wasn't until he caught sight of the two Jedi Knights standing ready did he pause in his attack.

"Well if it isn't Rachi Sitra, and another Jedi dog who survived the Purge. The Emperor will be pleased when I bring him both your heads," Namman taunted, pointing his weapon at the two.

Rachi lifted her own lightsaber and twirled it a few times.

"It ends here today," the Twi'lek declared, launching herself at the Dark Jedi.

Namman parried the blow while Cal took advantage of this to attack from the side with his lightsabers. The Dark Jedi twisted his body to avoid the humming blades of energy, then knocked Cal's sabers into the air with a fluid strike, though the Knight quickly recalled his weapons back with the Force.

"Jar'Kai huh? You're not the only one who can do that," Namman produced a shorter looking lightsaber and ignited it.

"Shoto blade, it has a shorter range but still contains the power of a regular lightsaber," Rachi said, falling back beside Cal.

Armed with two lightsabers instead of one, Namman renewed his attack on the two Jedi, leaping forward at an astounding speed that even Cal couldn't follow perfectly. He barely managed to deflect a blow aimed at his chest if it weren't for Rachi distracting the Dark Jedi in time. Cal ducked to avoid a lightsaber swing to the head, then slashed at the latter's chest, the tip of his blade searing through the first layer of clothing. Namman retaliated with a blow to his cheek, the lightsaber burning a thin line to Cal's face as the Knight winced in pain.

"You will cease this immediately!" Augwynne Djo commanded, using her magick to freeze Namman in place.

Cal was panting slightly beside the Twi'lek as the two remained cautious, watching the Dark Jedi struggle against the magick that held him in place. Augwynne Djo waved her hands and chanted in a strange language, conjuring chains that began to wind themselves around his body.

"You must think so little of me if you believe these petty chains can hold me down!"

Electricity began coursing through the latter's body until the tips of his fingers began sparking. Rachi recognized what this was and issued a warning.

"Protect yourselves or dodge! He's going to use Force Lightning!"

The Clan Mother ceased her summoning of chains to throw up a barrier that blocked the first wave of lightning from striking. Namman didn't let up and released another wave, then charged at the barrier with his lightsabers. Augwynne Djo felt herself being pushed back by the onslaught, but couldn't lower the barrier for fear of her clan being caught in the battle. Merrin came to the Clan Mother's aid by lending her strength to Augwynne, strengthening the barrier enough for the Sisters to evacuate the area.

"This is our chance," Rachi whispered to Cal, indicating they should attack the distracted Dark Jedi.

Igniting his lightsabers while he still could, the ginger-haired Knight charged towards Namman alongside the Twi'lek Knight, both aiming for vital areas that will kill if struck properly. As if anticipating their moves, Namman broke off the lightning and curled his fingers inwards, then yanked an unsuspecting Merrin right into his grasp. He held a hand against her throat and spun her around to face the two Jedi, the blade of his lightsaber held against her throat.

"One more move and she dies," he hissed, tightening his grip around her neck.

The two halted their steps and circled the Dark Jedi.

"Let her go!" Rachi ordered.

"Now why would I do that? It would be so easy to take her back to the Empire and have the Emperor turn her into a Inquisitor. Nightsisters already dabble in the dark side of the Force, it would be easy for her to...adapt. All she needs is lightsaber training and she'll be good to go," the Dark Jedi taunted.

Merrin tried to use her magick to free herself but Namman sent a wave of Force Lightning through her body, shocking the Nightsister as she cried out in pain, her body wracked by spasms.

Seeing Merrin being tortured was enough to provoke Cal into acting.

"Let her go _now_!" he shouted, letting his anger take over as he reached out through the Force.

"Cal no!" Rachi yelled, but her plea fell upon deaf ears.

Curling his fingers into a fist, reaching out through the Force until he felt invisible tendrils of power responding to his call, then he directed them towards the Dark Jedi's throat, tightening them around Namman's fragile esophagus.

The Dark Jedi clearly hadn't been expecting this level of power coming from the weak Jedi and his hold on Merrin loosened as he clawed at his throat, desperate to draw in breaths of air into his deprived lungs. The Nightsister dropped to the ground and began crawling away, her body weak from the electricity that had been running through every muscle and fiber of her being. Despite being choked via the Force, the Dark Jedi somehow managed to switch grips on his lightsaber, then impaled Merrin through the back with it as another agonized cry escaped her lips.

"No!" Cal howled, feeling his anger completely take control as his emotions began to run wild.

Knowing this would end very badly should it continue, Rachi ran forward and knocked the Dark Jedi out with a well-aimed blow to his solar plexus.

The sudden break off from the Force snapped Cal back to his senses as he gazed at his hands, his chest heaving up and down in shock.

"Snap out of it!" Rachi's sharp words brought his head upwards as he ran over to where Merrin was.

"Merrin! Merrin!" he cradled her body gently on his lap.

The Nightsister's breathing was faint but she was still alive.

"BD! Give me a stim!" he said desperately, turning to the little droid.

BD ejected a stim for Cal and he quickly injected Merrin with it, the latter sucking a greedy breath as the green device began to heal her wound.

"Thank the stars," Cal said in relief, hugging her close to him.

"Cal?"

The Twi'lek stood over the two.

"I'll take care of Namman. Get her back to the ship, she's in bad shape. Don't worry about taking me to Hoth either. I'll figure out a way to get there."

But-"

"No buts. Hurry and go," Rachi said, turning to look at the Clan Mother as Augwynne approached her.

* * *

Trilla coughed several times as Cere changed a fresh set of bandages for her apprentice. The floor of the Mantis was starting to overflow with dirty cloths, prompting Greez to start cleaning everything up while muttering to himself.

"Hang in there," Cere said quietly.

"I'm fine. This is nothing," Trilla winced when she tried to move.

"Where are Cal and Merrin? They should be back by now!"

"I don't know! They aren't answering!"

The duo boarded the Mantis at that exact moment, with Cal supporting a weak Merrin beside him.

"What happened?" Cere rushed over to the two, helping the Nightsister sit down on the couch.

"We were attacked at the village by a Dark Jedi," Cal said, taking a stim from BD to inject Trilla with.

"A Dark Jedi? I thought they were only stories," Cere whispered, drawing on the Force to send a wave of healing energy into the Nightsister's body.

Cal finished injecting Trilla with the stim and removed the bandage from her wound, watching as the skin began to heal thanks to the medicine.

"Well they clearly exist. He attacked us and the Sisters of the Singing Mountain Clan. Merrin got caught up in the fight," Cal said, running a hand through his hair.

"How did you escape?" the Lateron piped up from the front.

Cal looked over to Cere at that point.

"I lost control of myself. Cere...I...tapped into the dark side..." Cal whispered quietly.

Cere widened her eyes at his last statement, Trilla had fallen asleep after the stim started healing her wound, sparing her from Cal's revelation. Grabbing him by the arm, the former Jedi pulled him to the back of the ship to talk in private.

"You tapped into the dark side? How? Cal, you know the consequences!" she said heatedly in a low voice, glancing over her shoulder.

"When the Dark Jedi had Merrin in his grasp and was using Force Lightning on her...I just lost control. This surge of raw power just rose up within me and I used the Force to choke him...and I kept choking him until Rachi knocked him out. All I saw was red and I couldn't hear anything until it was over," Cal lifted his trembling hands.

"Remember when I told you I tapped into the dark side after finding out Trilla had been turned into an Inquisitor?" she said, resting a hand on his shoulder.

He nodded.

"That was the exact same emotion I felt. Nothing but red, anger, and the raw power within pushed outward, knocking everyone down. That experience was why I cut myself off from the Force."

"I'm not going to cut myself off from the Force...not after reconnecting to it after the Purge," he said, hardening his expression as he looked at her.

"There is no emotion, there is peace. If you learn to control your emotions, you will find peace," Cere said, recalling the first line of the Jedi Code to the young Knight.

"You make it sound so easy! It's not that easy for me. I know you and I experienced different things, but I can't control my emotions as easily as you do! I never completed my Padawan training and Master Tapal died in my arms, how would you feel if that happened to you and Cordova?!" he argued, trying to get her to understand his side of things.

"Meditate. Focus your thoughts and clear your head of distractions. That will help you keep your emotions in check."

Hearing her telling him to meditate only served to anger Cal even further as his hands clenched into fists. 

"Stop telling me to meditate! Meditating does nothing for me!" 

"Cal, Jedi are forbidden from having emotional attachments. You learned this back at the Academy when you were an Initiate didn't you?" 

"A Jedi I may be, but I'm still human Cere! It's impossible for us _not_ to have any!" Cal countered, echoing what Merrin told him yesterday. 

Cere was torn as she stared at the Jedi Knight standing before her. She could see all the rage and anger swimming within the depths of those emerald orbs, a raging fire that would only grow bigger and spread should he continue on. Right now, he reminded her of the day Trilla became an Inquisitor and her failure to protect her Padawan. 

The Dark Side was a powerful and addicting agent. Once you had a taste of it, you'll only begin to crave more and more. 

Cal remained motionless for a several moments, then slammed a hand against the wall of the Mantis while taking in a deep breath, his head tilting backwards to stare at the ceiling lights.

"Trust the Force, Cal. That's all I can tell you." 

A wave of energy burst forth from Cal at that moment, knocking Cere back in surprise at the sudden impact. 

"Don't give me that nonsense anymore Cere. The Force has brought me nothing but misery." 

Cal walked away from the back at that point.

* * *

Aboard the Star Destroyer personally assigned to him by Palpatine, Vader felt a strong tremor in the force, the Force Signature caught him off-guard and nearly sent him skidding backwards a few steps. This was the first time he had ever felt such raw power. Unbridled, raw power that reared its head to slap him in the face. The Sith Lord knelt down in the privacy of his room and reached out through the Force, searching for the source of this power.

Imagine his surprise when Vader discovered it came from none other than Cal Kestis.

He could use this chance to start luring the boy to the dark side.

_**Cal Kestis, I sense a great amount of anger within you. Yes, let that anger guide your hand.** _

_Get out of my head!_

Vader chuckled at the Padawan's defiant attitude.

_**You cannot escape it. You've felt it haven't you? Your first taste of what the dark side can do. Join me as my Inquisitor, and I will teach you how to use that anger to your advantage.** _

_Never!_

**_Resist if you want, Cal Kestis. You cannot deny the pleasure and thrill of the dark side. Even now I can sense you crave more, to use that power to protect those you care about._ **

_I..._

The boy's faith was starting to waver.

This was excellent news.

 _**Do not deny the dark side. I will be awaiting your response, accept my offer to join the Inquisitorius, or watch everyone you care for die before your very eyes** _ _._

Vader withdrew his presence from the Force without giving Cal a chance to respond.

* * *

Once Vader was gone from his mind, Cal tried to meditate for the first time in days. Concentrating on nothing but feeling the Force in and around him, the Jedi Knight cleared his subconsciousness of every distraction going on. The angry outburst from earlier served as a release for the pent up emotions he had kept locked deep within his heart the day his master died. 

_There is no emotion, there is peace._

_There is no ignorance, there is knowledge._

_There is no passion, there is serenity._

_There is no chaos, there is harmony._

_There is no death, there is the Force._

Repeating the Jedi Code over and over allowed Cal to ground himself until he came out of his meditative state. The anger and hatred from earlier subsided somewhat as he opened his eyes. 

Yet the Sith Lord's words kept whispering to him, tempting him with power from the dark side.

Cal disappeared inside the bathroom to stare at himself in the mirror. The reflection that met his gaze was a vision of him clad in an Inquisitor robe, red lightsaber ignited to strike his enemies down. Emerald orbs quickly blinked several times in rapid succession, and the next time he looked back at his reflection, Cal was staring at his normal self albeit exhausted looking.

"I am a Jedi Knight through and through," he murmured, cupping some water between his palms to splash his face with.

He won't let the Sith Lord win.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Thoughts? Comments?_

_I just wanna make it clear that I'm not going Cal/Merrin._

_Only reason why Cal freaked out the way he did is because he sees Merrin as a close friend, someone who understands him on a deeper level than Cere/Trilla does. Naturally he'd want to protect her from harm as much as possible._

_See you all next chapter._

_Celsius Fate~_


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cal learns there was no need to fear the dark side nor his emotions as long as he held true to his beliefs...

When Cal disappeared inside the bathroom after the outward burst of energy, it took Cere some time to gather herself and her thoughts. What did she just witness? The power behind the burst nearly made her fall backwards onto the ground if she hadn't managed to steady herself in time. It was true the boy must harbor some feelings of regret for being unable to save his master during the Purge, but didn't he leave that all in the past?

In a way, Cere _couldn't_ blame Cal for what just happened.

Unlike when she actually took the Trials and earned the rank of Knight back at the Temple, Cal was but a mere child when the Emperor issued Order 66. Fleeing from the Venator to Bracca after watching Jaro Tapal protect him...Cere thought back to what he had said, that if Cordova had been killed protecting her...While she and Cordova were never really that close thanks in part to his eccentric personality, she did find a fatherly figure in him. Cal must have felt the same with the Lasat Jedi Master. Jaro Tapal must have been the only father figure in his life after joining the Order. Perhaps the reason why the Jedi Order fell in the first place was because of their unwillingness to change, and stifling traditions that one must adhere to.

 _Boop-fwee-trill_.

BD-1 had seen everything that happened and peered around the corner tentatively, slightly frightened by what it had just witnessed.

"It's alright BD. Come here," Cere held a hand out.

The little droid climbed up Cere's shoulder and clung to her as she headed back out to the main area of the ship. Trilla was still fast asleep on one of the couches, though her expression looked a lot better than it did when they were on Kashyyk. Merrin had woken up and was currently nursing a bottle of water in her hand, her eyes immediately looking up when Cere walked in.

"Is everything alright?" the Nightsister asked.

"No. Cal's starting to let his emotions slip," Cere replied, sighing heavily as she sat down opposite the Nightsister.

"But aren't Jedi allowed to have emotions? You are only human after all," Merrin said with a tilt of her head.

Cere shook her head at Merrin's statement.

"When we're first taken to the Academy to being our training as Jedi, the very first lesson we were taught was letting go of all emotional attachments. Jedi aren't allowed to have any emotions, for fear of being led down the dark side. Master Yoda used to teach us this lesson in the harshest of ways, but now that I look back, I'm not so sure if what he did was correct."

Merrin leaned back against the couch, being careful not to injure the area where she had been impaled. The stim had done its job in healing the wound physically, but she could feel the residual energy from the lightsaber lingering.

"When we are of age, our Clan Mothers would start teaching us the ways of our founder. Mother Talzin taught me how to control my magick and how not to be afraid. We use the Force in a different way than Jedi and the Sith do, because we embrace our emotions don't allow it to command us. Cal never finished his training did he not?"

"No. He didn't."

"From what he told me, his master died protecting him when he was a child. Surely this would carry consequences for him growing up. Just like how I held onto my hate for the Jedi for years after my coven was massacred, would it not be wise to assume the same for Cal?"

The latter leaned forward to rest her chin atop her hands, her eyes staring at the holotable in the middle of the room.

"Fear leads to the dark side," Cere said after several moments of silence.

"Everyone has fear. Everyone has emotions, some handle it better than others. Your experience and years of training as a proper Jedi has helped you control that. You cannot expect the same for Cal, nor Trilla for that matter."

She was right.

Cere was silent after Merrin finished her sentence, her mind digesting and trying to make sense of what the Nightsister said.

Cal walked into view at that moment and sat down on the couch in between the two, exhaustion written upon his face as the Jedi Knight stared at his hands.

"Are you feeling better Cal?" Merrin asked, hoping to ease the awkward tension she was feeling between Cal and Cere.

"Yea. Fine," he replied without looking up.

Greez shuffled into view from the cockpit and was just about to ask if anyone wanted something to eat. Upon seeing how the trio were and their tense body language, the Lateron went to the kitchen area and pulled out some ingredients.

"Cal, I want to apologize for what I said back there. I was too harsh on you," Cere finally said.

"It's fine Cere."

"But-"

"I said it's fine alright? Can we not talk about it anymore," Cal repeated in a harsher tone.

"As you wish," Cere gave in with a long breath of exhaled air.

BD-1 hopped off Cere's shoulder and hesitantly approached the ginger-haired Knight, making little beeping noises as it did.

"Come here little guy," Cal smiled and scooped the droid into his arms.

_Beep-boop-fwee!_

"Yea. I'm sorry if I scared you bud," he apologized, patting BD on the head gently.

"Tell me why you're back on Dathomir. I thought you were looking for Rachi Sitra on Talus?" Cere looked over to Cal, expecting an answer to her question.

"I found Rachi and the rebel base on Talus, but the Empire launched an assault against it. Rachi realized earlier than me that the base wouldn't hold for long, it wasn't built to be properly defended so she ordered an evacuation of the rebels. Afterwards she informed me she was searching for a Nightsister by the name of Kyrisa and I offered to take her there on the Mantis since Merrin wanted to know if other clans survived during the Clone Wars."

Cere glanced over at the silently meditating Nightsister and gave a nod of her head.

"Did you find this Nightsister?"

"The Clan Mother told us she was exiled to Hoth."

* * *

-Fortress Inquisitorius-

The Sixth Brother disembarked his personal TIE fighter and walked calmly through the entrance. The battle with the former Second Sister ended with his triumph over her, but Entiran knew it was only due to her being distracted by the sudden arrival of reinforcements from his end. Had they dragged the battle out longer, she would have been the one to emerge victorious. Somehow he managed to disarm her momentarily with the Force, then quickly gave her a nasty wound that took her out of the battle. If it weren't for the annoying freedom fighters and her former master, he would've ended Trilla's life.

"I see someone is back from their mission," Aveena taunted, leaning against the doorway with arms crossed.

"Least I managed to fight Trilla on equal ground. Who was the one who had their dignity and pride handed to them?" Entiran replied with a snort, ignoring the glare Aveena gave to go report to the Grand Inquisitor.

"So I take it you've done a good job judging from that smile on your face," the newly promoted Ninth Sister, a Togruta female by the name of Tajjizez.

"Need I say more? Shouldn't you be on a mission with the Fourth Brother or something? Why are you back so early?"

Of the newly promoted Inquisitors, Entiran was the closest with Tajjizez. Their personalities allowed them to tolerate each other's presence to a certain extent. The others though...Entiran would no sooner rip their heads from their bodies than be caught associating with them.

"I got sent somewhere else instead, searching for relics of past civilizations or something. It seems the Emperor wants Project Auger extended beyond Zeffo."

Entiran waved his hand when he was standing in front of the door to the Grand Inquisitor's room and Tajjizez gave a curt nod of her head as respect to someone ranked higher than her.

* * *

Pain.

That was the first thought that crossed Trilla's mind as she slowly blinked her eyes, her pupils dilating at the sudden appearance of bright lights overhead. With a small groan of discomfort, she pushed herself up into a sitting position, her mind taking a while to process she was currently on board the Mantis. After the fight with the Sixth Brother which ended in her being overpowered, her memories were very foggy after that.

"How...where..." her voice was hoarse.

Someone held a bottle of water against her lips and she greedily drank from the mouth, the cool liquid alleviating the dryness of her throat.

"Easy there," Cal's voice said after she finished the water.

"Am I on the Mantis?" she asked him, holding a hand against her head.

"Yea. Cere brought you to the ship after Greez went back to Kashyyk to pick you two up."

"My head...ugh...I remember fighting the Sixth Brother...and then...then everything goes black."

Cal stepped aside to allow Cere to talk to Trilla quietly while he went back to sit beside Merrin. Meditating to focus and control her powers helped the Nightsister recover faster than expected. Her eyes cracked open the slightest upon sensing someone sitting down in the the space next to her.

* * *

"How is your wound?" Cere helped Trilla into a sitting position.

"I can move my arm. Did something happen to it?" Trilla shook her head a few times.

BD-1 hopped into view and wiggled itself in front of Trilla while tilting its head to look at her.

_Beep._

"Cal used a stim on you after I stabilized your wound with the Force. The Sixth Brother was clearly aiming to kill with that blow, you were lucky to escape with your life intact!" Cere scolded, frowning at Trilla.

Trilla laughed dryly at the sudden concern.

"You were just worried you'd have to defend the Wookies and Partisans if I was killed."

"Trilla-"

"I just want to be alone for now," she said, cutting off Cere as she turned her back to the latter.

Understanding her temper better than anyone, Cere had no choice but to give Trilla space until she was ready to have a conversation.

* * *

"How's the injury?" Cal asked quietly.

"Better. I should be asking you the same question. Has the wound from your lightsaber been bothering you?"

Cal gave a dry chuckle and winced when pain did indeed start emanating from the wound on his side.

"It is now," he said, hiding his pain behind an embarrassed smile.

Extending a hand outwards which was glowing green with energy, Merrin placed her palm against the area where the wound was and directed a stream of healing energy into his body. Due to him sitting slightly out of her reach, the Nightsister had to bend her body on a small scale in order to reach the area. Cal lifted a hand up to brush away strands of hair from her face, gently tucking them behind her ear. This small action prompted a smile to start tugging on the corner of Merrin's lips as she leaned in to his touch marginally.

"I'm sorry for always making you do this," he apologized, his fingertips gently tracing the tattoos on her face.

"You and I understand each other on a deeper level Cal, and while I may not be a Jedi, I know the burdens you bear are heavy ones. For years I've carried mine alone on Dathomir, then I met you, you helped me move on. I want to do the same in return," she answered, lifting her head to give him a smile.

Haunted emerald met compassionate amber as Cal leaned closer against Merrin, their lips inches apart to the point where he could feel every breath she exhaled. Merrin didn't recoil from his action, instead she merely locked gazes with the Knight.

_Beep-boop?_

BD's unfortunate timing broke apart the two as Cal hastily pulled himself upright, his face having bypassed several shades of red. He cleared his throat awkwardly and scowled at the little droid.

"We're not doing anything. She's just helping me with the lightsaber wound Vader left," he said.

_Boop-fwee-dee!_

"Just pretend you didn't see anything buddy," Cal said, completely mortified the little droid saw what was going on.

Merrin calmly retracted her hand and moved somewhat closer to the Knight so she could pick up BD-1.

"The next time you do that, I'll use my magick to put you in a bubble."

_Beep!_

"I'm sure she's kidding buddy."

"Am I?"

Both Knight and droid turned their heads at that statement to stare at the Nightsister. Merrin gave a small laugh and poked BD on the head with a slender finger.

"I'm kidding."

BD made itself comfortable on the holotable, leaving the two alone to discuss their thoughts.

* * *

"Cal, what happened back on Dathomir? I sensed a great surge of power and-"

The Knight silenced her with a finger against her lips, his eyes desperately pleading with her wordlessly to not mention what transpired. Merrin took his hand in hers and squeezed it gently. Small tremors originating from his hand told Merrin all she wanted to know. Cal had used the dark side back on Dathomir to choke the Dark Jedi who had been holding her hostage. Unlike her, the experience scared him greatly. She could perceive it through his touch, the way his fingers were curled around hers.

He was scared.

Scared and afraid.

"Your hands are shaking."

"I let...anger control me and..." he broke off, apprehension swimming within those emerald orbs.

"You're afraid it will lead you to the dark side," she finished.

"Yea. I don't want that to happen Merrin, but I feel like everything that's happening to me so far is pushing me further and further away from the light. I'm lying to myself when I said I've moved on from Master Tapal's death. Truth is...I don't know if I'll ever truly ever be able to let go."

Her other hand was placed over his as the Nightsister's warmth spread into his body. Cal hadn't even realized how cold he felt until her hands covered his.

"Honor his teachings every time you wield your lightsaber. You cannot bring your master back from the dead, just as I cannot revive my sisters, but by living we are commemorating them. Don't be afraid of letting your emotions out, you are a human in the end."

"Merrin...you don't get it...Jedi aren't supposed to let emotions control them. We were taught-"

"Taught to let them go when you were young, Cere has said that. Tell me something Cal, are you ever afraid or worried that _I_ might lose control one day because my magick comes from the dark side of the Force?"

Her amber eyes locked onto his as she asked the question.

"No," came his instant reply.

"Why are you so sure?" she went on, an inner smile starting to form as she led him along her train of thoughts.

"Because you're in control of yourself despite wielding your magick."

A smile graced the Nightsister's lips at that point and Cal's eyes widened in realization at what Merrin was trying to say. He didn't need to be afraid of letting his emotions show as long as he was in control of himself. The Jedi Code preached peace in place of emotion, but with the Jedi Order all but gone, was there really a true need to follow the path of a Jedi so strictly?

"Merrin...I'm glad I met you," Cal breathed, pressing his forehead against hers.

"And I'm glad to have met you, Cal Kestis."

Someone clearing their throat in the background broke the two apart, with Cal turning his head to find Cere standing over the two with an eyebrow raised questioningly.

"May I ask what are you two doing?" her voice wasn't angry, but sounded exasperated.

"We were just talking," the Knight answered.

"Sure looked like talking to me," Cere sat down opposite the duo, taking note of how close they were sitting next to each other.

"We aren't doing anything," Merrin insisted from beside Cal.

Cere raised both her hands up in the air and exhaled a breath.

"Stop. Before you both go down a path of no return," she warned.

Cal could feel his anger starting to rise at Cere's attitude towards how the two of them were behaving. She may have been a Jedi Knight, but she chose to cut herself off from the Force. The Order no longer existed so why was she still stuck on their traditions and teachings? Wouldn't it be better if they moved on from it? They'll still be Jedi, just not bound by the Code any longer.

"Cere, you and Cal have been bound by this...Jedi Code since the two of you were Padawans, but from what Cal told me, the Order has been destroyed by the Empire. All the remaining Jedi are either hunted down and killed or turned into Inquisitors. Wouldn't it be better...for you to let go of this Code and live the way you want to while still being Jedi to the end?" Merrin spoke up, knowing she might have a better chance at conveying Cal's feelings than he himself did.

"Forget the Code? The Code is what allowed us to survive for so long," Cere rebutted.

"No. It's the Order's inability to change that got them exterminated," Cal corrected, looking up at the former Jedi Knight.

"Cal-"

He held a hand up to stop her.

"The reason why Sith exist is because they let their emotions command and consume them. If we can remain in control of ourselves, then having emotions wouldn't hinder us in any way. We'll still be Jedi, Cere, just not bound by the Code like Merrin said."

Hearing both of their arguments prompted Cere to think and reflect on all she had learned from Master Cordova and others at the Temple. Cal was correct, the Order was no more, and the Code they've been taught as Initiates would serve its purpose no longer. Everything changed the day Order 66 was given. _She_ had changed since then, going from Jedi Knight to someone who had cut herself off from the Force. Who was she to say Cal was wrong? If it weren't for Cal back at the Fortress, she would have given in to the dark side during the attempt to fight Vader.

Perhaps having a tether would prevent Cal from falling like she nearly did.

"Cere?"

"You're right Cal. The old Jedi Order that we were a part of is dead. We're survivors now and survivors adapt. So long as you do not allow your emotions to consume you, then follow the path you deem correct," Cere lifted a hand out towards the Knight. "Give me your lightsaber," she said.

Wondering what she was going to do, Cal removed his weapon from his belt and placed it in her hand.

The hum of the lightsaber's blue blade ignited with the push of a button as Cere held it. She could sense the faint presence of Jaro Tapal within the lightsaber through the Force, and the Lasat Jedi Master's enduring sentiments for his Padawan.

"Jaro Tapal was one of the kindest and most endearing Jedi Masters of his time. He seemed rough and cold on the outside, but he held a soft spot for you Cal. Wield your lightsaber in his name and do not tarnish the legacy he has left you with. Follow the light, and trust in the Force."

"I will Cere. Thank you."

She deactivated the weapon and handed it back to him.

"Get some rest. It will be a while until our next destination," she informed him.

"Where would that be?"

"Kamino."

* * *

_To be continued....._

_The gang is off to Kamino!_

_I plan to bring another character into the story (not the clones of Jango lol)_

_I think readers will find this character very familiar._

_Until next chapter!_

_Celsius Fate~_


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The crew arrive on Kamino, where Cere and Trilla discover the existence of a certain someone.....

Kamino.

The birthplace of the Galactic Republic Clone Army.

An aquatic planet just south of the Rishi Maze within the extragalatic star system.

During his younger years as a Padawan, Cal had heard stories of the planet from his master. The one that stuck out to him the most involved Master Obi-Wan Kenobi searching for the planet to find out what Master Sifo-Dyas had placed the order for a clone army without informing the Jedi High Council. One thing led to another and Master Kenobi found himself battling Jango Fett, the bounty hunter whom the clones are based off of. After the formation of the Galactic Empire, the cloning facilities had been shut down, so why was Cere so interested in the place?

Pushing these thoughts out of his head for the time being, Cal closed his eyes to rest against the couch alongside Merrin. He would have gone to his bed in the back, but Trilla was currently occupying it to recuperate from her injuries.

The couch was the next best option he had.

Cere had returned to her seat in front of the Mantis to listen for signs of the Empire. She peered around the corner and noticed Merrin had fallen asleep on Cal's shoulder, and the former had his head resting on top of hers. Their hands weren't touching or anything, but just that simple gesture of falling asleep on one another told Cere how much the duo trusted each other.

"Cut them some slack. They've been through a lot," Greez cut in, having seen what Cere was doing.

"I'm not saying anything. I'm just thinking about what they said earlier," she responded, giving the Lateron a scowl.

Greez flipped a few switches on the panel, putting the Mantis on autopilot so he could talk to Cere without needing to worry about piloting.

"So you're taking their thoughts into consideration then?" he asked.

"They are not wrong. The Jedi Order is dead, what we were taught no longer exists. Maybe it is time we live our lives the way we want, while still remaining true to our Jedi beliefs. Cal's comment about the Order's inability to change nor adapt isn't so far off either. For as long as the Order existed, everyone was bound by the stifling traditions that one must follow. In the end that hurt the Order more than it did, because when outside forces threatened us for the first time, we didn't know how to react or respond."

The Lateron rubbed his chin using one of his arms while listening to Cere talk.

"So why are we going to Kamino anyways? That place is crawling with the Empire's guards, what are you going to do there?"

Cere peered around the corner again to confirm Cal was still asleep.

"I heard rumors from the Partisan leader Mari Kossan back on Kashyyk. She said Saw mentioned the cloning facilities haven't been shut down. The Kaminoans have been breeding a clone army of their own to fight back against the Empire's influence."

"And you're thinking we should go there to at least lend our aid, if not fully repel the Empire off the planet? Are you nuts Cere? We're talking about the birthplace of the clones! We can't possibly push them off the planet!" Greez protested, making sure to keep his voice low to avoid waking up the others.

"If we can disrupt their cloning facilities, we can prevent the Empire from making more stormtroopers. Though I have a secondary objective for going there as well."

"Oh? Do tell," Greez huffed, crossing all four of his arms.

"I'm not revealing anything yet," was all Cere said as she went back to monitoring the communication lines.

* * *

_"Master, please forgive me for not following the Jedi Code any longer," Cal called out into the empty void._

_Heavy footsteps approached the Knight as Jaro Tapal walked into view to stand before his Padawan._

_"Master Tapal...are you mad at me?" Cal asked, his head dipping in disappointment._

_Jaro Tapal rested a hand on his Padawan's shoulder._

_"No my apprentice. I am not mad at you for what you're choosing to do. The Jedi Order has been shackled to the past for far too long, and that may have led to our downfall in the end. I do not wish for my sacrifice to have been in vain. You survived on your own for so long on Bracca, waiting for a nonexistent signal from a Council that no longer existed. My physical body may no longer remain, but I am one with the Force. I have seen and felt your struggles as you sought to finish your training under Cere Junda. I have felt what you experienced on Dathomir."_

_Cal raised his head to look at his master, the former smiling warmly down upon his apprentice. He was about to give his master a hug when Jaro Tapal's facial features shifted into that of Darth Vader, and the grip on his shoulder tightened unbearably as Cal grappled with the Sith Lord to pry himself loose._

_"Your choices have led to the demise of your beloved friends," the Sith Lord breathed, stepping aside to reveal the crumpled bodies of Cere and Greez._

_"They are next," Vader declared._

_Trilla and Merrin were forced into view by the Second Sister, the Inquisitor levitating their bodies through the Force._

_"Let them go!" Cal demanded, his breathing growing erratic as he continued fight against Vader's grip._

_"Kill them," the Sith Lord ordered._

_The Second Sister smiled wickedly and ignited her lightsaber._

_"No!"_

* * *

"No!" Cal cried out in his sleep, his body jerking violently.

Merrin was roused from her sleep when Cal's sudden movements knocked her head off his shoulder. He was muttering in his sleep and Merrin could make out her name, Trilla's and something about Vader killing them.

"Cal? Cal wake up!" Merrin shook Cal's shoulders with both hands.

"No! Let them go!" Cal said, his head tilting to the right.

Seeing no way of stirring Cal from whatever nightmare that was plaguing him, Merrin raised a hand in the air.

"I'm sorry Cal," she slapped his face several times.

His eyes flew open at the third impact and he greedily took in a breath of air.

"M-Merrin? What happened?" he panted, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand to find it drenched in sweat.

"You were talking in your sleep. I had to wake you up somehow," she told him, lowering her hand as she did.

The stinging sensation upon his cheek was evidence of the method Merrin chose to wake him with. Not that he didn't appreciate it, he just never realized she could slap that hard. His hand gently rubbed the sore area as he gave her a smile of gratitude. The dream felt too real, much too real for his liking. How or why is it that every time he tried to get rest, Vader would always show up one way or another?

"Is something the matter?" Cere called out.

"It's nothing! I'm fine," Cal answered back.

Trilla wandered into view slowly from the rear of the ship. Cal scooted over on the couch to give her space, and Trilla gently lowered herself into the seat. Her expression looked a lot better, there was more color to her face than when she was injured. Her arm was still somewhat stiff but at least it was no longer bothering her.

"You certainly look better," Cal told her with a smile.

"I feel better too. Do you know where we're going?"

"Kamino."

A certain look flashed across Trilla's face for the briefest of moments, but Cal caught the change nonetheless. So there must be something on Kamino that Trilla's aware of, no doubt Cere is probably searching for whatever it is as well. As much as he wanted to ask what she knew, Cal wasn't so sure if she was in a talking mood after just recovering from her fight.

"Did you accomplish what you needed to do on Kashyyk?" Merrin asked, speaking to Trilla.

"We were close. They brought in reinforcements at the last minute. I tried my best to repel the Sixth Brother but you know what happened," Trilla indicated to her wounded area. "The Wookies and Partisans had to retreat while Cere brought me back to the Mantis after I lost consciousness."

"It must have been a difficult battle for you to be wounded to such an extent," the Nightsister commented.

"Entiran got lucky. I'll get him back next time," Trilla said darkly, a gleaming look present within her eyes.

Cal was so glad she was no longer hunting him as the Second Sister. He wasn't even sure _how_ he managed to defeat her at the Fortress, or even back on Zeffo for that matter. Then he recalled the incident, remembering if it weren't for BD who activated the laser barrier at the entrance to the Tomb of Miktrull, she would have already killed him that time.

Yup.

He was definitely happy she wasn't his enemy anymore.

"We're here!" Greez's voice interrupted from the front.

Cal got up from the couch and went to sit in the co-pilot chair as the ship exited hyperspace. The looming watery planet of Kamino lying dead ahead as Cal stared in awe at the sight of it.

Kamino.

* * *

Wet.

Rainy.

 _Very_ rainy.

Those were the first two thoughts to pop into Cal's head as the ramp entrance lowered after Greez landed them a safe distance away from the main area of the cloning facilities. They could still reach the buildings in the distance, they'd just have to be battered with rain as they did.

"Is it always raining on Kamino?" Cal turned to Cere as they all got ready to disembark.

Only Greez would remain behind to help them make a quick getaway if needed.

"Just this part of the planet yes," Cere answered as they began walking down the ramp.

Strong winds blew through the area from all directions, giving the group trouble walking as they held a hand out to brace against the powerful gusts.

"Merrin, can't you conjure a bubble or something for us so we can walk in relative ease?" Cal pleaded, wiping rain water from his face for the tenth time.

"Oh? Yes, I can."

The Nightsister waved her hands around in an intricate pattern and thrust them outward when energy filled her palms. A green bubble materialized over the four of them and immediately there was a sense of peace and quiet as the storm raged on outside the protective barrier of the bubble. Cal exhaled a breath of relief now that he was no longer being pelted.

"I guess Nightsister magick comes in handy from time to time," Cere couldn't help but say as they trailed behind Merrin.

"You'd be surprised what purposes we can use our magick for," Merrin replied without looking back.

There was a constant stream of Imperial TIE fighters and scout ships taking off from the distance.

"So much for shutting down the cloning facilities," Cal muttered.

They came to a halt when a long gap laid in front of them. It seems the edge of the cliff they had been walking on was cut off from the cloning facilities, and there was not a bridge in sight save for a half-destroyed ramp which was far too wide for them to jump onto.

"I guess we're stuck?" Cal said.

Merrin simply lifted her hands and chanted in her strange language, then twisted her hand upward and Cal felt himself being lifted off his feet.

"Merrin!"

"I need to concentrate!" the Nightsister rebuffed, levitating Cal across the gap until he was on the other side.

Once he was safely on the other side of the gap, Merrin levitated Cere and Trilla over, followed by herself last.

"I never knew you could levitate people either."

"There are many things you do not know about Nightsister magick."

They continued their walk towards the cloning facilities, this time concealed by Merrin's magick after Cere advised it would be the best way for them to sneak in unnoticed. Merrin warned she wouldn't be able to keep it up for long, as it was extremely taxing on her mentally and physically if she weren't in a meditative position like she had been the last two times she performed the ritual.

"Up ahead," Cere pointed to a door near the main area where clone troops were being stationed.

"How are we going to get in unnoticed? I'm sure they don't just leave the doors open," Cal said.

"Leave that to me," Trilla raised a hand and curled her fingers into a fist.

One of the troopers standing guard began choking violently, his blaster rifle falling to the ground as he attempted to draw in breaths of air. His comrade observed the sudden commotion and ran over to check on him. Trilla released her hold on the trooper's neck and the clone was finally allowed to breathe. The door behind the two opened after sensing movement outside, and the group used the chance to slip within with the troopers being none the wiser.

"That worked better than I expected," Cal said when they were inside.

"My magick will not last much longer. Whatever it is you are here for Cere, you best hurry and accomplish it," Merrin said, the strain starting to show on her face from keeping them concealed without proper preparation.

"Then let us make haste," Cere led the way as the group quietly made their way towards one of the cloning rooms near the back of the facility.

It was certainly clear Cere knew where she was going as Cal shadowed her from behind. Merrin was bringing up the rear to keep them within the range of her magick, while Trilla walked silently beside him to the right. The strange thing was there was not a single soul in sight. One would think an important cloning facility would be swarming with guards, or at least Kaminoans, but the eerily quiet hallways didn't sit well with Cal.

"There's no one here," he whispered as they continued down the hallway.

"This part of the facility is off-limits to regular troopers," Cere informed from up front.

"How do you know this?"

"I have my sources," was the only response she gave.

They stopped in front of one of the doors with a red lock on the front. BD recognized the panel and hopped off Cal's shoulder to attach itself to the wiring.

"Can you slice it buddy?" Cal asked of the little droid.

_Beep-boop!_

The comp slicer on BD's foot did its trick to slice open the door, giving them access within. With the door shut behind after Merrin walked inside, the Nightsister called off the magick concealing the group and swayed slightly on her feet. Cal caught her before she could fall, letting her lean against him while they looked around. Tanks full of blue liquid surrounded them on both sides, and each tank held a lifeform within. Some were fully developed while others either lacked a missing limb or were deformed.

"So it's true..." Cere breathed, finally seeing the confirmation with her own eyes.

"Cere? What are we looking at?" Cal was perplexed as he and Merrin saw the tanks.

Trilla recognized who the person was at the far end of one of the tanks from her time as an Inquisitor.

"It can't be..." she said in a quiet voice.

Trilla rested a hand against the smooth glass of the tank, her eyes never leaving the figure bobbing up and down within the blue liquid inside the tank. Her mind was trying to process what she was seeing. When she was still the Second Sister, she had seen this person by Vader's side whenever the Sith Lord came to visit. He should still be alive, so why was he being cloned on Kamino?

"You know of him as well?" Cere turned to look at Trilla.

"I've only seen him once or twice when I was the Second Sister...but why is he here?..."

"Can someone tell me who this is supposed to be?" an irate Cal requested.

Both Cere and Trilla spoke the answer out loud.

"Starkiller..."

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Starkiller is introduced._

_Who saw that coming eh?_

_The one in my story is the clone version of him, as the original Starkiller was killed by Vader in the game._

_Also gives me a reason to make them go to Kamino XD_

_See you all next chapter._

_Celsius Fate~_


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After discovering the past behind Starkiller, the group heads to Alderaan only to be chased by the Haxion Brood, until a mysterious ship lends aid....

Cal's brows furrowed together in confusion when both Trilla and Cere mentioned the name Starkiller. Surely that can't be the actual name of the person inside the tank right? What kind of parents would name their kid Starkiller? Cal didn't have much memories of his parents since he was brought to the Temple at a very young age, but he was glad his parents didn't name him something as crazy as Starkiller.

"Who is he exactly?" he heard himself asking.

"No one knows his true identity, only that he's supposed to be Vader's personal apprentice. The only reason why I know of his existence is because he was born on Kashyyk. To think he's being cloned on Kamino..." Cere trailed off as she went back to studying the tanks.

Reassured by Merrin she was feeling a lot better, Cal wandered around the room looking at the various tanks. Some contained half-formed bodies, others were too grotesque to even mention. It was clear this cloning process wasn't going as smoothly as one would hope. He turned towards the left and spotted the remains of what looked like a lightsaber lying on the workbench.

_Boop?_

"Yea. I can probably try," Cal said to BD.

He walked over to the shattered hilt and wrapped his hand around it. The moment his fingers touched the smooth metal, images flooded his mind, knocking him off balance by the sheer intensity behind the memories and what they wanted him to see. The other three noticed Cal going on his knees and rushed over, spotting him holding the broken lightsaber as his eyes were closed.

After several tense moments have passed, Cal opened his eyes and gasped quietly, shakily getting onto his feet.

"What did you see?" Cere inquired, steadying him with a hand.

"Glimpses...this person was taken from Kashyyk when he was young by Vader...his parents were both Jedi Knights who fled to Kashyyk after falling in love. Vader discovered his strong connection to the Force and took him in after murdering his parents as part of the Purge. The images are overwhelming...but he became Vader's apprentice...and was somehow betrayed by the Sith Lord who killed him."

The images were still vivid within Cal's head as he held a hand against his temple.

"So the one I met back the Fortress..." Trilla murmured, mainly to herself.

"The perfected clone of the original Starkiller," Cal finished for her.

"If we can figure out how to turn this Starkiller against Vader, it may help in giving us a chance to fight back against the Empire."

Cal shook his head a few times to clear the images from his head.

"I think I can help with that," he said.

All eyes in the room gave him their undivided attention.

"The original Starkiller was in love with a former Imperial officer named Juno Eclipse. If we can find her, we might be able to convince this clone to turn on Vader," Cal informed, recalling that particularly intimate scene shared between Starkiller and Eclipse.

His eyes flickered over briefly towards Merrin.

Footsteps outside the door alarmed everyone as they all scrambled to hide in whatever place they could find. The door slid open with a low hiss to reveal an elegant figure with an elongated neck walking inside. Cal peered over the table he was hiding behind to get a better look, and was drawn in by the alien's graceful walk. BD was just about to make a comment when Cal slapped a hand on top of the droid, the shook his head as a gesture of silence.

The Kaminoan pressed several buttons on the control panel, and a smaller section ejected itself to reveal a tube of liquid nestled within. Looking around to ensure it was alone in the room, the alien took the vial of liquid and was just about to destroy it when the door opened yet again.

"Taun We, what are you doing?" the second Kaminoan chastised.

"We cannot allow this continue further Lama Su. What if the Sith has an entire army of Force-sensitive clones under his command? That will be the end of the world as we know it," Taun We answered.

"Our only obligation to the Empire is to continue cloning and training new troops. What the Sith plan to do does not concern us."

"You have seen their destructive power."

The two Kaminoans continued arguing quietly with one another as they left the room, the vial of liquid being taken with Taun We. Only when the two aliens were truly gone from the area did the four crawl out from their hiding spots.

"So they _were_ cloning Starkiller," Trilla said.

Cere knew it was unwise to stay any longer.

"Let's go back to the Mantis," she ordered.

"I thought we were here to lend aid to the Kaminoans?" Trilla studied her mentor's expression.

"That was just an excuse to get Greez to fly us here. The rebellion has long been quashed by the Empire. Now let's make haste before we're discovered here," Cere ushered them out the door after Merrin cloaked them from view.

* * *

-Fortress Inquisitorius-

Entiran was surprisingly in a good mood after coming out of the Grand Inquisitor's room. His leader was very much pleased with his actions back on Kashyyk, since they were able to push the freedom fighters back to the Shadowlands. The Emperor has ordered the hastening of resource gathering on the planet, which meant he was to be assigned back down there pretty soon.

"You look happy," Tajjizez remarked, leaning against the door frame as he came out of the meeting halls.

"The Grand Inquisitor praised my actions on Kashyyk. It seems the Emperor is satisfied with how things are going. I'm going to be stationed back there to oversee things," the human Inquisitor responded.

"Guess who's going to go with you," the Togruta said with a grin.

"You've been assigned to be my partner?"

"The one and only," Tajjizez answered.

Both Inquisitors started walking towards the hangars to board their ship when a group of stormtroopers rushed by, struggling to carry a stretcher between them. The commander of the platoon was walking behind the soldiers as they hurried onward towards the medical wing.

"Who is that on the stretcher?" Entiran stopped the commander.

"It is the former Ninth Sister, we managed to locate her on Kashyyk and the Emperor ordered us to bring her back Sixth Brother," the commander answered.

"Carry on," Entiran waved a hand in dismissal.

The commander gave a bow to the two Inquisitors and chased after his platoon.

"So Masana did survive after all. Shame, she's going to be so upset when she discovers I took her position," Tajjizez said casually, twirling her lightsaber over and over.

"She always relied on brute strength as opposed to using wits. I'm not surprised she didn't rise higher than Ninth."

"You can say that again," the Togruta agreed.

Everyone in the area fell silent all of a sudden, prompting the two Inquisitors to turn their heads towards the entrance. Darth Vader walked into view with his apprentice silently trailing him from behind. Entiran heard of the Sith Lord's personal apprentice and had even seen the latter on several occasions within the Fortress. This was the first time he saw the two together in the same room, and the overbearing weight of the Force was slowly pressing down on him from all sides.

"This heaviness is stifling," he whispered under his breath.

The Ninth Sister merely nodded in agreement.

The Sith Lord and his apprentice disappeared inside the interrogation room, no doubt to turn another Force-sensitive user into another Inquisitor or potential candidate.

Only when they were gone from the area did everyone resume their activities.

* * *

Greez was itching to take off from Kamino the moment the group boarded after successfully sneaking their way out of the facilities. They had several close calls with Kaminoans appearing from out of nowhere, but managed to avoid detection by ceasing all motions and noise. Merrin's magick broke the instant Cal's foot touched the ramp. He steadied the Nightsister when she began swaying, then helped her up the ramp so she could rest in the back.

"I seriously hope you found what you're looking for because I am _not_ coming back here anytime soon," the Lateron complained to Cere.

"We did. Set a course for Alderaan captain," she said.

"Alderaan? Why are we going there of all places?" Greez started the engine and took off from the landing area.

"We're going to seek out the Rebel Alliance leaders there. I heard they want to restore the Old Republics values, perhaps we can aid them in their endeavors."

"Alderaan it is."

While Greez charted a course for them to Alderaan, Cal took the chance to used the showers. The warm water washed away the chill from Kamino as he stood under the flow of water. The images he received from the broken lightsaber belonging to Starkiller still lingered within his mind. He saw everything the apprentice went through, from watching his parents die to becoming Vader's apprentice. All the missions he was sent on to hunt the remaining Jedi...

Cal never mentioned the death of Master Shaak Ti to the others.

Let them continue to believe she was still alive according to the Holocron from the Archives.

He saw Starkiller going to Felucia to hunt down the Jedi Master, how gallantly Master Ti had fought until the end, choosing to sacrifice her life by throwing herself into the rancor pit than die under his hand.

The ginger-haired Knight also caught a glimpse of Master Ti's Padawan within the echo.

Did she suffer the same fate as her master or was she somehow spared?

No.

There was no way Starkiller would let Jedi live.

Shutting off the water once his skin was starting to turn red, Cal wiped himself down with a towel (Greez always took care of everything aboard the ship) and changed into a loose grey shirt with matching pants. Seriously, where does the Lateron even find the time to wash and dry clothes? Probably while they're off exploring or doing missions on whatever planet they were on.

_Beep-fwee?_

"Hey buddy. Just finished showering so I don't get sick," Cal said with a smile.

 _Fwee-trill-boop_.

"Yea be glad you're a droid, you can't actually get sick like me."

_Beep!_

"You _want_ to experience getting sick? Why would you even want to try that?" Cal scooped up the droid and placed him on the workbench.

BD-1's condition was starting to deteriorate from the way it was exposed to various elements.

"How about a little tune up buddy?"

_Fwee!_

Cal laughed and took out his welder from back when he worked on Bracca. Looking over the little droid carefully, he used the welder to fix various wires and panels that were starting to come loose from BD jumping and walking around. The noise from his work roused Merrin from her rest, and the Nightsister looked over to see what Cal was doing.

"What are you doing Cal Kestis?" she asked out loud.

He jumped into the air and quickly regained his grip on the welder, burning his finger in the process. He stuck the finger in his mouth and sucked on the wound, then turned back to a curious Merrin.

"Just giving BD a tune up," he said.

"A tune up?" she cocked her head to the side in confusion.

"Well droids need to be maintained if they are to remain mobile and active. If I don't tune BD from time to time, his functions will start to go away."

"All these talks about Jedi and droids are strange to me. Life was much simpler back on Dathomir."

Cal finished the tune up and placed BD on the ground so the droid could run around the front. Then he went to take a seat beside Merrin, fighting the urge to put an arm around her shoulder as he did.

"Having second thoughts about joining?" he asked with a small chuckle, reaching out to brush her hair away from her face.

"No. This life is new and refreshing to me. I've waited too long on Dathomir for a chance to avenge my sisters."

"That's good to hear."

Merrin caught his hand in hers and gave it a small squeeze.

"Cal, your nightmare from earlier, what exactly did you dream of? I heard you saying my name, Trilla's and something about us being killed by Vader."

A small sigh escaped Cal's lips upon hearing her ask about his nightmare.

"I don't really want to talk about it," he said, twisting his head away so he could avoid her gaze.

"Cal-"

Their conversation was interrupted by Trilla rushing into the back.

"We're under attack by the Haxion Brood!"

"Oh not those guys again," Cal groaned.

Ever since the attempted kidnapping back on Zeffo and being thrown into a gladiator arena for Sorc Tormo's amusement, and then being rescued by the Mantis, the Haxion Brood has been gunning for him. Apparently the bounty on a Jedi was way more enticing than the debt owed by Greez, and Cal had more than one encounter with Sorc's lackeys as they attempted to either kill or bring him back alive.

The two rushed out to the front and Cal quickly took a seat in the co-pilot chair.

"Talk to me kid," Greez said, doing his best to avoid the firing lasers coming from behind.

Emerald orbs zeroed in on the scanners and radars.

"There's two ships on our tail," he said.

"This is going to be tricky," Greez twisted the handles sharply, sending the Mantis on a sharp turn towards the right.

"Grab onto something!" Cere shouted to Merrin and Trilla.

The maneuver only served to put some distance between the Mantis and the two gunships, but the Haxion Brood quickly closed in on them and began firing.

"Can we lose them in the asteroid belt up ahead?" Cere suggested.

The Lateron took Cere's suggestion and directed his ship towards the large asteroid belt in the distance. The two gunships chased after them relentlessly, firing the entire time until a stray bolt managed to graze the side of the Mantis. Everyone inside were jostled from the impact, making Greez more desperate to shake off the attackers.

"Hang on," he said.

Guiding the ship into the asteroids, Greez weaved in and out of the rocks, dodging plasma bolts along the way. For the first time since he first set foot upon the Mantis, Cal was _very_ grateful the Lateron was a good pilot. There were several instances where the Knight thought they would crash, only for Greez to pull off some crazy moves with the ship to avoid disaster at the last second.

"We can't shake them off at this rate," Greez said, checking the screens to show the engines were starting to overheat from the strain.

One of the gunships ended up in front of the Mantis, having somehow evaded Greez's line of sight. The other gunship was closing in from behind, and the crew realized they were trapped in a pincer attack.

"Can't you use the Force to do something?!" Greez shouted to Cal.

"My powers aren't that strong!" Cal answered, wracking his brain for a solution.

"You better pray to the Force we make it out of here in one piece!"

Suddenly, the gunship in front of them was destroyed by a barrage of missiles from another mysterious ship. Cal turned his head upward and spotted a new ship, this one had its guns trained on the Haxion Brood gunship behind. It was quickly destroyed as well, saving the Mantis as Greez slowed the ship down. Their mysterious savior hovered beside the Mantis and Cere took the chance to study the design.

"This ship looks to be of Mandalorian origin..." she said.

"I don't care where it came from or what it is, I'm just glad it showed up when it did. We're going to have to make a stop soon so I can repair the engines though," Greez was furiously pressing buttons on the panel.

Cal closed his eyes and reached out through the Force to sense whether or not their savior was friendly. Trilla noticed the ship and saw what Cal was doing, then reached out as well so she could confirm if Cal was correct.

Both of them opened their eyes simultaneously.

"What did you sense?" Cere looked at the two of them.

"I sense someone on board...a Mandalorian? And something else...another life form...not exactly human but...it reminds me of..."

"The life form is the same species as Master Yoda," Trilla finished.

Cere's eyes went wide upon hearing this.

"Impossible...Master Yoda couldn't be aboard the ship. He's hiding on Dagobah!"

"No. It's not Master Yoda...it's someone of the same species and way younger," Cal corrected.

The group didn't have much chance to consider what their next move would be because the Mandalorian's ship flew closer to their until everyone could see the bounty hunter within the cockpit. He was making a gesture with his hand and then turned the ship around before taking off towards the unknown.

"I think he wants us to follow him," Cal said.

"Is it a safe idea?" the Lateron was hesitant to do so.

"He hasn't shot us down yet so I assume he's not after us. You need to fix the engine right? Maybe he noticed the same problem and wants to show us to the nearest planet."

Greez was apprehensive about the entire thing but knew the Mantis couldn't make it to Alderaan without repairing the engines first. With no other choice, the Lateron followed after the mysterious Mandalorian ship as they headed towards the nearest planet.

"Where is he taking us?" Trilla asked, not recognizing where they were going.

Cere looked at the map.

"He's taking us to Tatooine."

* * *

_To be continued..._

_I know The Mandalorian takes place AFTER all this has happened, but I did state multiple times that I'm playing around with the timeline of this story. Don't be surprised if people or characters who shouldn't be in the same timeline as Cal suddenly makes an_ _appearance. I can only do so much with the going beyond the game's ending if I stick to the timeline it takes place in. This way, my imagination and creativity flows much more and I can write more scenes XD_

_Anyways, I found a way to introduce Baby Yoda and Mando into the story ahahahaha_

_I also wanna apologize if these chapters seem boring or dragged out, but I don't wanna rush from one thing to another. I want to take time to build up relationships and scenes, so don't expect every chapter to have action or fighting going on. There will be times when several chapters will just be like this one, where they travel from one planet to another and having random conversations on board the Mantis. I will show other POVs such as the new Inquisitors I put into the story to keep things going though, so don't worry about that._

_See you all next chapter._

_Celsius Fate~_


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What was supposed to be a quick trip to get spare parts ends up becoming more than what Cal and Merrin were looking for...

Growing up as a Padawan Cal had often heard stories of Tatooine, the planet were Master Qui-Gon and Master Kenobi first discovered Anakin Skywalker. Everyone within the Order knew of the tale, and to actually set foot on Tatooine himself brought a sort of giddy feeling to the Knight. The mysterious ship landed at a hangar at the de facto capital of Mos Espa. Greez gently set the Mantis down and shooed everyone off the ship so he could assess the damage done to the engine. Their mysterious savior hopped off his own ship and Cere took the chance to thank him in person.

"Hey, thanks for your help back there."

The Mandalorian bounty hunter regarded her briefly, then gave a quick nod of his nod. He reached inside his cockpit and gently picked up a small bundle, then set it on the floor. Cere's eyes were drawn to the creature as a miniature version of Master Yoda popped its head out to stare at her.

"Unbelievable..." she breathed.

Cal and Trilla went over to where Cere was standing and noticed the little alien on the ground.

"He looks like a younger version of Master Yoda," the ginger-haired Knight commented.

"So...adorable..." Trilla said, then quickly looked away while blushing furiously.

The little alien reached a hand out towards the three of them and blinked its round eyes. The Mandalorian quickly scooped up the little alien in his arms as if to hide him from the three, his body language clearly radiating hostility and distrust.

"Easy there. We're not here to hurt him," Cal said.

The bounty hunter noticed the lightsaber hanging on Cal's belt.

"You're Jedi," he said through his helmet.

"We are. Please don't kill us or anything," the ginger-haired Knight pleaded.

"I am not after you. I was worried the Haxion Brood were after him," the Mandalorian indicated to the alien in his arms.

The three exchanged looks.

"Anyways, thanks again for the help."

The Mandalorian inclined his head and started walking away. The little alien peeked over his shoulder and gave the group a wave, a sight which melted Cal's heart as he waved back to it.

"If I hadn't know Master Yoda was actually a lot older than that alien child...you'd think that was actually Master Yoda."

"The resemblance is uncanny," Cere agreed.

Greez came over to the group at that moment and asked them to pick up several replacement parts in Mos Espa. The Lateron was adamant they find every part needed, otherwise they'll never be getting off of Tatooine. Cere opted to stay behind and monitor communications in case Imperial troops were on their way to the planet, and she asked Trilla to lend her a hand at slicing encrypted messages. Cal was about to go into town by himself when Merrin offered to go with him.

"Cal, make sure you hide your lightsaber from view. The Hutts and Tusken Raiders who lurk outside the city don't take too kindly to Jedi in their midst. Merrin, you should try and cover your tattoos as well. It makes you an easy target for kidnapping if they see your exotic features, and you _definitely_ don't want to draw the attention of Jabba the Hutt."

Cal yanked the Bracca poncho over his head and adjusted it so it hid his lightsaber from view. Merrin produced the cloak she once wore on Dathomir and covered herself with it, pulling the cowl over her head to obscure her tattoos from view. Together the two headed down the ramp and trekked towards the dwellings in the distance. The merciless sun of Tatooine beat down on the two from above, thankfully Cal had a hood on his poncho he could pull up to cover his head from baking in the sun.

_Beep-beep!_

"Hop on in Buddy," Cal pulled the front of his poncho open and the little droid jumped in to get out of the sun.

"Better?"

_Boop!_

The ginger-haired Knight gave a small chuckle of amusement and the two continued onward.

"Is this place always this hot?" Merrin asked, clearly uncomfortable under the rays.

"This is my first time here so I can't really answer that. I can't imagine the people living here going through this every single day," Cal replied.

It seemed the town was still so far away no matter how far they walked.

"The bounty hunter from earlier also headed this way right? I can't imagine him making it to Mos Espa this fast with that armor of his!"

Merrin frowned and wished there was magick she could use that could hasten this journey. Cal continued walking until his feet kicked something up under the desert sand. Piqued by his curiosity, the Jedi Knight knelt to brush away the sand with a hand. The item revealed itself to be some sort of tattered robe which was once red. Upon closer inspection, it resembled the robe Merrin was wearing.

"This looks to be of Dathomiran origin," Merrin knelt beside Cal.

"Is it a Nightsister?"

"It could be...can you sense any echoes?"

Cal closed his eyes and reached out through the Force. There was indeed a Force echo left within the piece of cloth, and vivid images flashed through Cal's mind. Merrin waited patiently for the Knight's vision to pass, only asking when his eyes opened back up.

"What did you see?"

"Do you know a Nightsister by the name of Asajj Ventress?"

* * *

Trilla and Cere were busy monitoring the comms back on board the Mantis while Greez was outside working on the engines. The two were slicing into encrypted channels that the former Second Sister knew of when she was an Inquisitor under the Empire. So far there was no particularly suspicious activities that required their immediate attention. They did hear about several Inquisitors being sent to other planets to oversee the activities there, but no alerts on the emergence of a new Force-sensitive user.

"Are you still mad at me?" Cere asked, lowering her headset to look at Trilla.

"I would be lying if I said I wasn't," Trilla responded without looking up.

"I'm sorry Trilla. I know you tried your best in protecting us from the Sixth Brother back on Kashyyk."

The latter's hands stilled momentarily on the panel.

"The next time I run into Entiran again, he will be the one to go down."

Cere furrowed her brows together at this. Clearly she could sense some sort of animosity between the her and the current Inquisitor.

"Was there something going on between the two of you when you were the Second Sister?"

"He was my subordinate. Rather aggressive in his methods and was always searching for ways to get promoted as an Inquisitor. I guess he got what he wanted with his rank as Sixth Brother."

"Sounds like you two often butt heads then," Cere switched to another comms line and listened carefully.

* * *

"Asajj Ventress? She was part of my coven and the only Nightsister who became the apprentice of Count Dooku. Mother Talzin tried to help her assassinate Dooku but I heard it ended in failure. I haven't seen her since she left Dathomir shortly after...is that who the cloth belongs to?" Merrin reached a hand out to gently touch the strip of cloth.

"Yea. I think she's injured or something in the vision, and there was someone else with her as well."

Cal suddenly straightened up and stood protectively in front of Merrin when he sensed a powerful presence through the Force approaching. Thankfully they were in the middle of nowhere, so the Knight pulled out his lightsaber and ignited it, keeping his eyes alert and body in a defensive position. A figure approached from the back and Cal whirled around in time, blocking the blow as the green hum of a lightsaber clashed with his.

"A lightsaber!" the mysterious stranger said in shock, jumping backwards to draw distance.

"Who are you?" Cal demanded, still standing in front of Merrin.

"I thought the Jedi were wiped out by the Emperor. Hard to believe someone else actually survived..." the stranger switched off his weapon.

The ginger-haired Knight remained suspicious of the stranger.

"I'm Quinlan Vos," the stranger revealed, lowering his hood for Cal and Merrin to see.

Cal's eyes enlarged in shock as he switched off his own lightsaber.

"Master Vos? How can this be?" he breathed, wondering if he was dreaming.

The Kiffar Jedi Master was the one who adopted Master Secura as his own Padawan after discovering her potential. Like Cal, Vos could also use Force Psychometry to see the memories of others, which made him an excellent tracker. Cal had heard stories of his adventures with Master Kenobi, but there were rumors that Vos had succumbed to the dark side after falling in love with Asajj Ventress. Was he the person he saw in the vision?

"What is your name Jedi?" Vos asked, snapping Cal out of his thoughts.

"Cal. Cal Kestis, and this is Merrin."

Vos looked at the hooded female standing beside Cal.

"You are not a Jedi...but I sense something familiar with you."

"I am a Nightsister of Dathomir," Merrin said, sticking close to Cal.

"A Nightsister!? Then perhaps you can help me!" Vos said, his voice hopeful as he began walking towards a certain direction.

The two traded looks of hesitation, since they were supposed to be running an errand for Greez so they could leave the planet as soon as possible. Yet Cal couldn't very much ignore another Jedi in need, especially a Master like Quinlan Vos.

"I hope Greez isn't going to murder us for being late," he muttered.

* * *

Quinlan Vos led them through the area towards a cave in one of the hills near Mos Espa. Cal and Merrin were on the verge of passing out from the brutal heat and lack of hydration until the Jedi Master handed them a can of water. The ginger-haired Knight passed the container to Merrin first, the Nightsister greedily taking in gulps of the cool liquid to soothe her parched throat. Once she was done drinking, she gave the remaining to Cal and he downed the remains in two gulps.

"Tatooine's environment is harsh on the unprepared," Vos said with a small chuckle upon noticing how thirsty the two were.

"You can say that again," Cal said with a satisfied sigh.

"Come. This way," Vos went inside the cave, using his lightsaber to illuminate the dark cave.

Cal mirrored the Master's movements and ignited his own weapon, the glow of the blade made it easier for the two to walk and follow after Vos. A myriad of questions floated through Cal's head as they continued walking, such as why the Master would bring them inside a cave of all places. Was he perhaps planning to ambush them once they were deep enough within?

"Merrin, if anything happens, get out of here and alert the others on the Mantis."

Her fingers curled around his upper arm.

"Are you insane Cal Kestis? If anything happens, both of us are getting out of here!" she said in a low voice.

"I can't risk it. Take BD and run if Master Vos tries anything funny."

"Cal!"

"Trust me please!" Cal whispered urgently, his fingers moving down to grip hers tightly.

The Nightsister reluctantly gave a nod of her head.

Quinlan Vos led them to what appeared to be the living area of the cave and stopped. The center contained a small fire which crackled and danced, sending sparks flying out of the twigs at regular intervals. Switching off their lightsabers so that only the campfire gave off light, Vos knelt beside a figure lying on the ground whom Cal previously didn't spot.

"Vos? Is that you?" a female voice called out.

"It's me. I brought someone who might be able to help," Vos replied.

Merrin carefully approached Vos from behind and knelt beside him to get a better look at who was lying on the floor. A small gasp escaped her lips when the Nightsister realized _who_ it was she was staring at.

"Sister Ventress?...is...is it really you?" she asked in disbelief.

"That voice...Merrin? Are you Merrin?" Ventress tilted her head and saw her fellow Nightsister kneeling beside her.

"Sister, it's me!" Merrin grasped Ventress's hands and gripped them tightly, tears streaming down her face the whole time.

"Why are you here? I thought...I thought you all died on Dathomir after what General Grievious did..."

The Nightsister wiped her eyes with the back of one hand. "I survived because Mother Talzin hid me away, but the others...our other sisters weren't so lucky. I watched as this General Grievious cut them down...and for the longest time I believed the Jedi were responsible..."

Ventress slowly sat up with the aid of Vos and Merrin, and the latter could finally see the damage Ventress sustained to her body. Whoever she fought did a number, Merrin could see lacerations, bruises and cuts on her fellow sister's limbs and abdomen area.

"Who did this to you?" Merrin's voice was tinged with anger.

"We managed to kill Count Dooku but Ventress suffered the most as she fought her former master," Vos explained.

"Give me some space and privacy so I can heal her," Merrin ordered, ushering the two males out of the area.

* * *

With nothing else better to do now that Merrin forbid them from entering until Ventress was fully recovered and healed, Cal found himself walking back out of the cave with Quinlan Vos right beside him. It felt awkward for the Knight to be beside another Master whom he thought perished under Order 66, but Vos was rather willing in speaking with him as they walked.

"Who was your master when you were still a Padawan?" the Kiffar Master asked as they rounded a corner.

"Jaro Tapal was my master before Order 66," Cal answered a bit quietly, the memories still haunting him.

"He was a good master, always righteous and kind, especially to his Padawans. I'm sorry for your loss," Vos said.

Cal gave a stiff smile in return.

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you survive the Purge for so long?"

Cal never knew Jedi Masters were this nosy in wanting to know about other's lives. On another note, perhaps Master Vos had been surviving on his own with Ventress for so long, he craved the attention of another Jedi who also escaped the Purge like himself.

"I escaped to Bracca and hid my identity while I was there. I worked as a rigger for the Scrapper's Guild for five years until I had to use the Force to save a dear friend of mine from danger. I didn't realize an Imperial Probe Droid had recorded me doing that and sent it to the Empire. They sent two Inquisitors to hunt me and I ended up being saved by...certain people I've been traveling with since."

Vos was silent for a while as he listened to Cal's tale of survival.

"I noticed you were able to perceive Ventress's memories from that scrap of cloth you found, how are you able to do so?"

Cal lifted his hands to flex his fingers several times repeatedly.

"Force Psychometry, I was born with it."

"So you and I have the same ability," Vos said, resting a hand on Cal's shoulder.

"I guess we do don't we?" Cal replied with another stiff smile.

This detour was going to take a while to get out of. Greez will have to wait a long time to get his parts at this rate.

Let's hope the Lateron has really good patience.

"Do you have any plans for what you're going to do?"

"We were supposed to buy spare parts for the ship's engines..."

Quinlan Vos stopped in front of Cal abruptly and placed both hands on the latter's shoulders. Cal was briefly startled by this sudden act for no one has ever touched him this way, not even Merrin or his master. It made him slightly uncomfortable to be grabbed in this manner.

"I can sense your connection to the Force is strong, but there is unbridled power behind your abilities as well. If you're willing, I can train you for a bit to help you hone your skills better," Vos offered.

Perhaps Cal could use this chance to ask Vos how to prevent Vader from invading his dreams.

"I need some time to think about it," he said after deliberating internally with himself.

He'll have to get in touch with the Mantis later to let them know what was going on.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_I don't know how or why I keep adding all these characters into the story, but maybe having Cal train under Vos for a chapter or two might not be such a bad idea._

_See you all next chapter._

_Celsius Fate~_


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quinlan Vos offered to teach and train Cal for a few days to hone his skills, but the Jedi Knight is apprehensive after hearing from Cere that Vos had fallen to the dark side. 
> 
> Cal encounters the Mandalorian and alien child on his way back to the Mantis and lends a helping hand....

Using the excuse of needing fresh air so he could have some privacy to himself, Cal slipped outside of the cave and immediately had BD radio call the Mantis so he could tell them what was going on.

 _"So you're telling me you ran into Master Quinlan Vos who just happened to be hiding out on Tatooine with a Nightsister who was the former acolyte of Count Dooku?"_ Cere's voice sounded like she had a hard time believing what Cal just told her.

"Pretty much?" Cal replied, scratching the back of his head with a hand.

Cere was silent on the call from the other end for a while.

_"Did you notice anything...strange about him?"_

This question was rather strange coming from Cere.

"I never met Master Vos so I don't know what exactly qualifies as strange in your case," Cal replied earnestly.

_"His actions, do they seem funny to you in any way? Has he offered you anything?"_

"He did ask if I wanted to be trained by him for a few days..."

Cal could hear Cere suck in a sharp breath from the other end of the line.

_"Cal, Master Vos fell to the dark side when he disobeyed Order regulations and went after Count Dooku with Asajj Ventress. He could have ulterior motives for wishing to train you."_

Now this piece of information was definitely something unheard of.

If what Cere said is true then he'll need to steer clear of Master Vos in case anything happened.

"I'll keep an eye out. I'm going to end the call now."

BD beeped several times and hopped back onto Cal's shoulders. Vos came out to get him at that moment to inform that Merrin's healing ritual was finished. He went back inside the cave towards the living area. Merrin was meditating in a corner of the area, her body levitating slightly above the ground. Asajj Ventress certainly looked a lot better since she was currently walking around, whereas she had been bedridden a while earlier.

"Merrin! Are you alright?" Cal went over to kneel beside the Nightsister.

Amber eyes cracked open wearily as Merrin gave Cal an exhausted smile.

"I'm fine. Just a bit tired," she answered quietly.

Quinlan Vos saw Ventress walking on her own and immediately rushed over to embrace her tightly in his arms. Both Cal and Merrin first looked at one another, then back towards the two, almost as if they were unwilling to believe what they were witnessing. BD made a series of beeps and whistling, the little droid's response prompted Cal to realize they mirrored the two they were watching in a way.

"Master Vos...are you two?..." Cal trailed off and waved his hand at the duo.

"Yes."

This certainly put things in a new perspective for Cal as he turned his head. So what he had been saying all along to Cere back aboard the Mantis did actually happen to someone else. The Jedi were forbidden from having romantic attachments to others, one of the basic doctrines taught back at the Academy. This was to prevent them from falling easily to the dark side as love was an emotion they must not feel. Yet here he was, watching a Jedi Master and a former acolyte of Count Dooku being intimate with one another.

"When did this happen?" Merrin asked of Ventress, the same thought crossing her mind as it did Cal's.

"Shortly after we started working together as partners. It just...happened..." Ventress answered, slowly lowering herself back down onto the ground.

"Weren't you afraid you were breaking the Jedi Code?" Cal glanced at the Kiffar Jedi Master for his answer.

Quinlan Vos sat down beside Ventress to feed more wood into the dwindling fire.

"Sometimes, we must think and choose our own paths. Strictly following the Jedi Code didn't do much for the Order did it? The Emperor managed to wipe out most of us with a single command. None of us saw it coming because we've become complacent with our monikers as peacekeepers of the galaxy. What happened in the end? We've become scattered, hiding from the Imperial Army who seeks to hunt us down as supposed traitors of the Republic."

Cal knew Quinlan Vos was right. Just like what he told Cere aboard the Mantis, the Kiffar Master was repeating his own words back to him essentially. The reason why the Order fell in the first place was because they couldn't adapt. Who was he to start judging other Jedis now if they fell in love. The Jedi Order was dead. They weren't bound by the shackles of the Code any longer. Still, he needed time to work out whether or not the feelings he had for Merrin were of genuine love or those of a sister-brother bond.

"Isn't it the same for you two?" Ventress suddenly asked, noticing how close Cal and Merrin were sitting next to one another.

It took all of Cal's willpower not to turn away and blush, though he could still feel a little heat rising to his face.

 _There is no emotion, there is peace_.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, coughing into the back of his hand.

Of all the times for his wound to start acting up.

Merrin's hand was instantly around the area where he had been impaled and her palm glowed green. Cal's pained expression soon faded away once her magick seeped into his body. The pain was coming in frequent intervals now, some at the most inconvenient of times. How he managed to hide an attack while they were on Kamino escaped Cal's mind. While he was glad that Merrin was always looking out for him, a small part felt bad for being a burden. She had been using her magick for quite some time now, surely she was nearing her limit.

"Is something the matter? Are you injured somewhere?" Vos eyed the way Merrin's palm was placed on Cal's lower abdomen.

"Long story," Cal grunted, removing Merrin's hand when the pain subsided.

* * *

After what seemed like an eternity to the duo, Cal and Merrin finally left the cave after answering a never-ending barrage of questions from Vos who wanted to know everything that's happened since the fall of the Order. Who knew the Kiffar Master could be so curious in wanting to know all the details. The sun was already starting to set by the time they made it out of the cave.

"Let's head back to the ship for now. We'll have to pick up the parts tomorrow. I heard the sandstorms on Tatooine are brutal, and judging by how fierce the winds are blowing, I'd say one is starting to stir up right now."

Merrin couldn't agree more as they made their way back towards the Mantis.

Her exhausted looks told Cal she needed rest to recover her strength after that ritual she performed earlier on Ventress. Cal also needed to report to Cere about what he had learned in regards to the rogue Jedi and former Nightsister.

"Please tell me you have the parts I need so we can get off this desert wasteland," Greez mumbled the moment they were near the Mantis.

"We got a little sidetracked. We'll get you the parts tomorrow," Cal said, helping Merrin sit down on one of the sofas.

The Lateron threw his hands in the air and shuffled off towards the kitchen to cook something since he had nothing else to do. Cere was mediating in the back while Trilla still remained at the console, listening closely for communications from the Imperial Army.

"Cal! You're back," Cere greeted as she came out from the rear of the ship.

"We didn't intend to delay getting the parts..." the ginger-haired Knight sighed into his hands.

The former Jedi Knight beckoned towards the other sofa to avoid waking up Merrin. Cal side-stepped around the sleeping Nightsister and sat himself down beside Cere, leaning back against the soft padding of the sofa. All he just wanted to do was sleep, close his eyes and never wake up. All this started because he was Force-sensitive, because he was taken away to the Academy to be trained as a Jedi. Would things be better had he been a regular human instead?

"Did you learn anything from your encounter with Master Vos?" Cere asked eagerly, shifting her body slightly so that she faced him.

"I never knew someone could talk as much as him," Cal sighed wearily into his hands.

This wasn't the response Cere had been expecting and laughed a little when she heard.

"Back to business. Did you learn anything at all?"

"He's with Asajj Ventress...a Nightsister from the same coven as Merrin. I think she was Count Dooku's former disciple?"

Cere's eyes went wide upon hearing this and grabbed Cal by the shoulders, mirroring the way Vos touched him earlier and he immediately flinched reflexively, swatting her hands away from his body.

"S-Sorry. I don't like it when people grab me like that," he apologized.

"No. I shouldn't have grabbed you out of the blue. But did you learn of Count Dooku's fate?"

"Yea. Ventress and Vos managed to kill him but they both sustained injuries, Ventress more than Vos."

Hearing the confirmed death of Darth Tyranus relieved a huge amount of pressure off Cere's shoulders as she sagged into the sofa. Though she wasn't exactly aware of how many Siths are out there, even the death of one was considered a huge blow to their ranks. Back when she was still studying at the Academy during her time as a Knight, she had read up on something called the Rule of Two left behind by a former Jedi Master.

The Rule of Two states there can only be two Siths at a time.

One master and one apprentice.

Should the apprentice wish to become a master, then he needed to kill his current master to become one.

"Get some rest Cal. You'll need to get the parts we need tomorrow so we can continue our way towards Alderaan."

* * *

Mos Espa was definitely different from the other planets Cal had visited.

Today he was traveling solo since Merrin still required another day's of rest to fully regain her strength.

It gave him some time to himself as he trekked through the settlement, searching for signs of a junk shop that sold spare parts. BD-1 was busy scanning anything and everything it came across. The sight of the little droid drew a smile upon Cal's lips as the Jedi Knight watched in amusement.

"At least someone's having a good time," he said to himself.

One of the shops to the left seemed to sell spare parts and Cal went inside. It was manned by a service droid which immediately greeted him rather enthusiastically, then proceeded to bombard him with multiple attempts to sell either junk or useless trash which he had no need for. Cal finally managed to get the droid to stop after using a rather aggressive tone with it, then told the droid what parts he needed.

Thankfully the store had what he needed.

"How much is it?" he asked the droid when it came back with the parts.

"Ten thousand credits," it answered in a robotic voice.

Cal winced slightly when he heard the price but thankfully he saved up quite a bit of credits back on Bracca. He didn't have much to spend it on anyways, still ten thousand was quite an expensive sum for several parts that were no bigger than the size of his hand. Greez better find a way to pay him back for this or he'll have to start keeping track of how many credits the Lateron owes aside from his debt to the Haxion Brood.

Once the parts were paid for and transported to the ship after Cal requested for a droid to bring it back, he headed out of the shop and looked around to see what else he could buy for the trip back. There were several stores that sold fruits native to Tatooine, and others that had various lifeforms hung up for display. The fruits were the only things that enticed the Knight, and he found himself buying several different kinds to share with Cere and the others.

Maybe Greez could make a dish with them or something.

* * *

Sounds of blasters firing drew Cal's attention during his walk back to the Mantis, which alerted the Knight to danger as he quickly took cover behind a sand dune in case a stray bolt came flying his way.

_Beep-fwee!_

"I know buddy. Let's just hope it's not the Imperial Army," he said, peering over the edge of the dune to see what was going on.

The Mandalorian bounty hunter from earlier was engaged in a shootout match with several other bounty hunters. Clearly the Mandalorian was on the losing side, as he had to fend off not only the other hunters, but protect the little alien child from harm at the same time.

"Shall we lend them a hand huh BD?"

_Beep!_

"Yea. I was thinking the same thing."

Leaving BD behind to watch over the fruits, Cal reached for his lightsaber and ignited it, running towards the Mandalorian's aid as he did. One of the hunters noticed him from the distance (who wouldn't notice a glowing stick of pure energy anyways?) and turned their blaster on him. Cal deflected the shots fired and reached out with the Force, yanking the weapon out of the hunter's hand.

The Mandalorian took advantage of this to fire a deadly shot right at the latter's heart, sending their body toppling over and out of view.

"Need some help?" Cal asked, sliding into position beside the bounty hunter.

The Mandalorian didn't say anything but simply gave a nod of his head.

"A Jedi? Our pay has just gone up!" one of the hunters shouted gleefully.

Now the remaining hunters focused their attention mainly on the Jedi Knight, having deemed him a more worthy target for a bounty. Cal wasn't surprised after the stunt he pulled at the Fortress. No doubt he was probably on the Empire's "Most Wanted Criminal" database and had a high bounty on his head. His body moved instinctively to dodge the plasma bolts fired, trusting the Force to guide his movements as he did.

One bolt managed to graze his cheek and Cal flinched, feeling the blaster burn left behind from it. He calmly walked forward towards the bounty hunter that fired the shot and lifted his hand. Reaching out through the Force, he curled his fingers into a choke-hold position and directed the invisible tendrils towards the hunter's throat. The blaster dropped from his hand as hands desperately clawed at his neck, trying in vain to pry away that which could not be seen.

Cal twisted his hand and pulled the bounty hunter straight into his lightsaber.

"You're not getting this Jedi today," he mocked, tossing the dead body aside.

With two of their comrades dead because of the Jedi, the remaining bounty hunters fled away from the scene in terror. The Mandalorian fired off several more shots, each hitting their target dead in their vital areas. Cal switched off his lightsaber and went over to the Mandalorian, thankful to see the alien child was unharmed from the whole ordeal.

While the bounty hunter did not verbally express his thanks, Cal could see his gratitude through perceiving the latter's body language. The alien child peered up at Cal with its round eyes, studying him curiously, its ears going up and down at the same time.

Cal wanted to praise its cuteness but the Jedi Knight in him refused to let others see he had a soft side unless it was people he knew. Instead he went back over to where BD-1 had been hiding and picked out one of the fruits, then he returned to the bounty hunter's side and held it out for the little alien.

"Here you go," he said with a smile.

Small talons reached out to grasp the fruit as the alien child looked at it curiously, then turned its head to look up at the bounty hunter. The Mandalorian didn't say anything as his head tilted downwards to watch the child. It took a small bite of the fruit and its round eyes closed happily in content upon tasting the fruit. The scene was too much for the ginger-haired Knight as he hid his smile behind several coughs.

"Your ship is near ours isn't it? We should go back together in case you get ambushed again," he offered.

The two unlikely of strangers started making their way back towards their respective ships.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_I seriously need Baby Yoda and Mando in my life ;A;_

_Why can't Disney+ be released in Asia already!_

_Anyone wanna see more of Cal/Mando team ups in future chapters? XD_

_Also please kindly stop reminding me Ezra should be 5 when this takes place/other characters shouldn't be appearing._

_I'm messing around with the lore/timeline/canon for this story._

_Some characters will only make cameos, others will play a part in progressing the story for Cal._

_As of now, I have a whole thing planned with Starkiller playing an important role in this story._

_Baby Yoda and Mando might make a return in future chapters (who wouldn't want to see more of them anyways? XD)_

_Haven't decided yet._

_Thank you for your understanding._

_See you next chapter._

_Celsius Fate~_


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vader's influence is slowly starting to corrupt Cal even further....

Trilla sat up sharply on the bed, her hair matted against the front of her forehead, her entire body drenched in a cold sweat after dreaming of Darth Vader successfully cutting her down at Fortress Inquisitorius for failing him. The pain felt too real, the sensation of her abdomen from the lightsaber piercing her body in a quick, upward motion.

Ever since she was saved by Cal Kestis at Fortress Inquisitorius, Trilla's dreams had been plagued by these constant nightmares of Vader. The Sith Lord was a scary presence to be reckoned with back when she first became an Inquisitor, and she quickly learned not to cross or fail him in missions. She had seen several other Inquisitors fall foul to Vader's lightsaber and swore she'd never be on the receiving end of his wrath.

Yet what happened in the end?

She was defeated by a mere Padawan who hadn't even finished his training, whereas she had mastery over the Force in superior ways compared to Cal. Cere's attempt at redeeming her was another blow to Trilla's ego, since the reason she kept going all this time was because of her hatred towards her former master. No matter how badly she wanted things to go back to normal, it would never be the same. There was always going to be that wedge between the two of them, a wedge that wasn't going to just disappear over one night.

"Are you alright?" a voice broke through Trilla's thoughts.

Merrin was standing by the area leading to the back of the ship where Trilla had been resting.

"Just a bad dream," Trilla replied wearily, rubbing a hand over her face.

"You and Cal both have been having bad dreams ever since the fight on Nur. Is it related in a way?" the Nightsister cocked her head to the side curiously.

"I don't know. All I know is if it weren't for him, I would already be dead. Going up against Vader is no easy feat, especially for a Padawan like Cal who didn't even complete his training."

The two sat in silence for a while after that.

"Have you ever regretted what you've done as an Inquisitor?"

"When I was one, not really. Looking back at it now...maybe I did regret a few things here and there. The Empire changes your mindset when they torture you into becoming an Inquisitor. They tormented me on a daily basis until I cracked and fell to the dark side. I didn't even think it was possible to redeem myself since I became the Second Sister."

"I can only imagine the pain you've been through," Merrin reached a hand out to rest it atop of Trilla's.

Trilla gave the Nightsister a tentative smile and gently squeezed her hand in response.

"So what about you and Cal?" she asked the unsuspecting Dathomiran.

"What about us?" Merrin was unfazed by the question as she turned to look at Trilla.

"I've seen the way you two interact with one another. I'm pretty sure you like him and he probably feels the same," Trilla teased with a smile.

The Nightsister couldn't find any excuse to rebuff Trilla's statement. The past few adventures she spent with Cal certainly felt more...intimate as opposed to when they originally met back on Dathomir. He seemed to welcome her aid whenever his wound acted up, and judging from those brief moments of tenderness they shared, maybe the Jedi Knight did harbor feelings for her after all.

She'll have to find out one way or another.

* * *

The trek back towards the port where their ships were docked was rather interesting. BD-1 was utterly fascinated with the alien child and kept running circles around the poor baby. The Mandalorian kept walking and stopping to let the baby catch up as it waddled its way over to him. Cal couldn't help but feel like the bounty hunter was acting like the child's father, based on the way the two were interacting with one another.

"Hey BD, come over here."

The little droid scuttled up Cal's back and clung there.

"Did you have fun?" he asked, patting BD on the head.

_Beep-trill!_

"I bet you did buddy."

Something tugged on the leg of his pants and Cal looked down to find the alien child gazing up at him in wonder.

"Hi there," Cal greeted, bending down until he was eye level with the alien baby.

Said child blinked several times and reached out towards the Knight, and Cal couldn't resist the urge to briefly pick him up for a cuddle. The Mandalorian clearly stiffened at his sudden gesture, but relaxed when he realized Cal didn't mean to harm or kidnap the child. Not wanting to become a target for the bounty hunter, Cal quickly set the child back down and gave him a pat on the head.

"Let's go buddy," Cal said to the little droid.

When their ships were in sight Cal waved goodbye to the bounty hunter and headed up the ramp.

"There you are kid! I've been waiting for you to get back so you can help me with repairs!" Greez said the moment his foot made contact inside the ship.

"You realize you owe me ten thousand credits for those parts right?" Cal countered, arching an eyebrow at the Lateron.

Greez froze in his tracks as his mouth fell open upon hearing the sum of ten thousand credits.

"T-Ten thousand?!"

Cal went to grab a bottle of water to drink from while maintaining eye contact with the Lateron the entire time.

"I wasn't expecting these few parts to cost ten thousand credits," Greez mumbled as he walked away in a daze, clearly shocked over the amount Cal had to pay for said parts to fix the engine.

"He's not going to snap out of it for a while," Cere said as she went to stand beside Cal.

"I wouldn't be surprised."

Peering over towards the back of after realizing Trilla and Merrin weren't in the front, Cal wondered what they were doing. Cere grabbed Cal's arm when he attempted to go talk to them, the look of urgency on her face alarmed the Knight. Was there something going on he wasn't aware of?

"I fear Trilla will relapse back into the dark side," she whispered for his ears alone.

Her fears weren't unwarranted since Cal felt a heaviness around the former Second Sister ever since they returned from Kashyyk. Once you tapped into the dark side for the first time, it would be very hard to completely avoid letting it consume you completely. The battle with the bounty hunters from earlier was the perfect example of what he was thinking. While he didn't mean to tap into the dark side, it just came naturally as soon as he reached out with the Force to choke one of the hunters from where he stood.

"I felt a heaviness about her ever since she returned from Kashyyk. Did something happen there?"

Cere frowned and thought about what happened on the planet during Cal's absence.

"Maybe the fight with the Sixth Brother affected her more than I thought. Trilla was always rather stubborn even when she was my Padawan. She doesn't like losing, which is evident by her former rank as the Second Sister. She most likely climbed her way up the ranks when she became an Inquisitor. Losing to the Sixth Brother most likely dredged up the influence of the dark side for her."

Looks like he'll have to keep an eye on Trilla for a while.

* * *

A cowering stormtrooper commander waited nervously for Vader's next order after reporting that another of their bases had been sabotaged by his former Padawan yet again. This was the fifth one over the course of three days that Ahsoka had destroyed with the aid of the rebels from Lothal. The rebels have gotten complacent over the liberation of Lothal, forcing the Sith Lord to put together a plan before things got out of hand.

"M-My lord?" the commander stammered nervously.

"Mobilize the 102nd and 103rd battalion to Lothal. I will send three Inquisitors to act as commanders, you and your troops are to follow their every orders am I clear?" the Sith Lord growled behind his mask.

"Right away!" the commander scrambled away from Vader while barking orders through his comms.

Reaching out through the Force to call upon his chosen Inquisitors, Vader turned around to face the giant windows overlooking the planet Tatooine. The last time he had been here was when he was still known as Anakin Skywalker. He had come with Padme to find his mother after having a vision of her suffering. This was the time he slaughtered the band of Tusken Raiders mercilessly for torturing her.

How many years has it been since?

Yet something in the Force drew him back.

"You called for us my lord?" the Sixth Brother asked, appearing behind the Sith Lord with the Fifth and Ninth Sisters.

"Yes. I have an assignment for the three of you. Put all your other missions on hold until you complete this one," Vader said, tilting his head slightly to look at the trio.

All three knelt as Vader faced them, his cape billowing around his body like a curtain.

"Go to Lothal. I have ordered the 102nd and 103rd battalions to head there to stamp out the rebel activities and reclaim the planet for the Emperor. You three will be in charge, do whatever it takes to crush them completely and mercilessly."

"And if we find any Jedi among them?" the Fifth Sister inquired.

"Kill them."

The Inquisitors bowed their heads and headed off towards the hangars to board their personal star fighters.

With the issue of Lothal being handled by his Inquisitors, Vader could return to surveying the planet of Tatooine and searching the Force for the answer as to why he was drawn back to his birthplace.

* * *

Growing up on Dathomir meant Merrin was extremely sheltered from the outside world. The only interactions she ever had were either with her fellow Sisters, Mother Talzin, or the Nightbrothers whom were subservient to the Nightsisters. Joining the Mantis and becoming a member of the crew has opened Merrin's eyes in many ways, figuratively speaking. The Nightsister has seen many things, and figuring out the emotions of another female who was not one of her Sisters was completely new to Merrin.

Trilla was an enigma.

One minute she was warm and gentle, answering any questions Merrin had.

The next, Trilla became hostile and angry, verbally lashing out at the former as her eyes were filled with hatred.

It scared Merrin.

This was the main reason why the Nightsister hurriedly excused herself so she could escape back out to the main area of the ship. She was still visibly shaken when she walked out to find Cal had returned from his excursion to Mos Espa.

"Merrin?" Cal noticed the way her hands were clutching her upper arms as she slowly made her way over to him. Her legs buckled the moment she was near the sofa, and Cal's arms shot out just in time to catch her as Merrin slumped against him.

"You're shaking," he murmured, feeling her trembling body as he held her.

"She scares me," Merrin said.

Cere and Cal shared a look upon hearing the Nightsister's comment.

"Trilla? Did she do something to you?" Cere asked, moving closer to Merrin so she could rest a hand on the latter's shoulder comfortingly.

"The dark side still torments her. It's causing her...personality to split. I'm afraid she will succumb to its allure again if this keeps up."

So what Cal and Cere were discussing earlier proved to be coming true in some way. The dark side within Trilla was struggling for dominance even after she redeemed herself like she said back at the Fortress. If Merrin could sense it as well, then Trilla was in danger of losing herself. They needed to come up with a plan and soon, lest Trilla ends up betraying them to the Empire in order to regain her Inquisitor rank.

"Recover your strength for now. I'll think of something," Cal said, getting up from the couch so he could have some peace to clear his mind.

* * *

_The red hum of a lightsaber lit up the darkness as Darth Vader approached Cal from the shadows._

_Reaching for his own lightsaber and igniting it, Cal swung his weapon over his head but the Sith Lord easily parried the blow, the spun around in an attempt to catch him from the side. Cal managed to block the blow after holding the hilt backwards over his shoulder, giving him a good view of what Vader would do next. Clearly impressed that the Jedi Knight could obstruct his move, Vader used the Force to momentarily knock Cal backwards._

_"You've grown stronger Cal Kestis," Vader remarked, lowering his lightsaber to circle around the Knight._

_Cal mirrored the Sith Lord's movements as they circled each other like predator and prey._

_"Get out of my head!" Cal demanded, charging forward to engage the Sith Lord._

_Vader used the Force to stop Cal in his tracks, twisting his hand in a semi-circular motion in an attempt to wrench the latter's lightsaber free from his grip. Cal struggled against the attempt, spinning and wrenching the hilt of the weapon to prevent Vader from pulling it away. The Sith Lord flicked his hand, turning the lightsaber sideways as the Jedi Knight grappled to keep the glowing blade from piercing his body yet again._

_Vader scoffed behind his helmet and flicked his wrist a second time._

_Cal's lightsaber flew free of his grasp and right into the Sith Lord's own. Vader then placed Cal in a Force hold before the latter could react._

_"Why are you doing this?! You're Anakin Skywalker aren't you? You're the one who's supposed to bring balance back to the Force, not destroy it!" Cal said, desperately trying to twist himself free._

_Hearing his former name being mentioned by a Padawan who shouldn't have knowledge of who he truly was caught the Sith Lord off-guard, but he quickly regained his composure and walked circles around the suspended human._

_"I haven't heard anyone call me that name in such a long time. I've nearly forgotten if you hadn't reminded me," Vader lifted his cybernetic hand and flexed it several times._

_"Why are you doing this? You should help us fight the Sith!"_

_"The dark side has so much to offer. Why struggle against it when I could embrace it? Learn everything and anything I could from the dark side."_

_"The dark side is what led you down this path! You slaughtered innocent Jedi and Younglings!" Cal shouted, his anger rising by the second._

_The Sith Lord sensed this and chuckled._

_"Very good. Your hatred for me is strong. Let it guide your hand," Vader said._

_"Why did you betray the Order?"_

_The heavy footsteps paused momentarily as Vader reminisced on the past._

_"The Jedi Order failed me. They were terrified of change and insisted on remaining bound to the past."_

_While Vader was distracted talking about the past, Cal wriggled his hand free and slowly reached out for the Sith Lord's weapon. The moment his fingertips came in touch with the lightsaber hilt, Cal was besieged by Vader's memories and a small gasp escaped his lips. The Sith Lord realized what had happened and quickly yanked his weapon away, but it was enough for the Knight as Cal lowered his head to look at Vader._

_"Your wife was Padme Amidala, the former Queen of Naboo who became a Senator of the Republic. You two married in secret during the Clone Wars...and you killed her with your own hands," Cal murmured in a low voice.  
_

_"No! She betrayed me! She led my former master to my location on Mustafar!" Vader roared, lashing out through the Force as he spoke._

_Cal flinched when he felt the Force slam into his body, nearly knocking him unconscious in the process. Cal coughed once the shock wave subsided, and a metallic taste filled his mouth._

_"Did she really though?" Cal countered._

_Vader was silent as he continued walking circles around him. Cal closed his eyes, drew in a few deep breaths, and unleashed the pent up energy within his body outwards. The resulting shock wave was even stronger than Vader's and the action freed the Knight from the Force hold. Calling out through the Force for his lightsaber, Cal nearly had it back in his hand when Vader tugged on the other end like he had done back on Nur._

_"Do not deem me weak, Cal Kestis."_

_The red glow of Vader's lightsaber was the last thing Cal saw as the Sith Lord brought the weapon down on his head._

* * *

Merrin was meditating when she felt Cal shake beside her on the sofa. Amber eyes cracked open to find the latter unconscious and blood visibly trickling down the side of his lips. She tried shaking him awake but the Jedi Knight was unresponsive. Instead the intensity of the blood flowing down Cal's lips increased until the latter unconsciously spat out a mouthful onto the metal floor.

"Cal!" Merrin frantically shook his shoulders to no avail.

"What's going on?" Cere rushed over upon noticing Cal spitting up blood.

"I don't know! I was meditating until his body started convulsing and then..." Merrin indicated to the blood on the ground and his lips.

Cere sat down beside the Knight and placed a hand on Cal's face, sensing through the Force to see what was going on.

"There's a powerful presence...it's him..."

"Cal has been telling me he's been having nightmares recently...could it be related to Darth Vader?" Merrin placed her own palm against Cal's other cheek.

She sensed the darkness through her magick and quickly retracted her hand, visibly shaken by how much power the Sith Lord exuded.

"We need to wake him before his mind is corrupted by the dark side," Cere said urgently.

"What do we need to do?" the Nightsister asked without hesitation.

"There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony."

The Nightsister knew what she had to do.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Well then, what's Merrin going to do? XD_

_I should seriously change the tag after the next chapter of this lol_

_See you all next chapter!_

_Celsius Fate~_


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unexpected encounter with a mysterious stranger leaves Merrin and Cal in a bit of a predicament......

"Are you sure this is safe?" Cere handed Merrin the relic from her coven.

"It is the only way I can think of. Do not worry, unlike the Sith, the Nightsisters of Dathomir have complete control over our powers. I just need quiet and a place where Cal and I won't be disturbed."

Cere gave a nod of her head and closed the door to her personal bedroom aboard the Mantis. Since only she knew the code to get in, it meant others wouldn't be able to barge in to interrupt. Merrin held the relic between her hands, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath to clear her mind. This was the first time she was actually attempting this ritual. Mother Talzin had warned if her mind and will-power weren't strong enough, to not attempt this ritual as it could potentially harm her in more ways than one.

"Mother, Sisters, lend me your strength."

Closing her eyes as she chanted in the ancient language of the Nightsisters, Merrin focused her energy into the talisman between her hands, then used that to amplify her magick as she separated her mental consciousness from her physical body. Following the essence trail, Merrin entered Cal's consciousness.

* * *

_"Cal! Cal Kestis where are you?" Merrin shouted into the vast darkness._

_A red lightsaber came flying her way from the shadows but Merrin blocked the weapon with her magick._

_"You are not a Jedi yet you wield the dark side of the Force," a mechanical voice said._

_Darth Vader emerged from the void to stand before the Nightsister, calling his lightsaber back through the Force. Merrin dodged the attempted attack as the weapon was recalled._

_"Where is Cal? Let him go!" Merrin demanded, her hands glowing green as she threw blasts of ichor at the Sith Lord._

_The Sith Lord moved his body out of the way as Merrin continued her assault. Vader reached out through the Force to attack Merrin, but the Nightsister was able to resist his influence. This revelation intrigued Vader since no one was able to do what Merrin just did. Igniting his lightsaber again, the Sith Lord raised his weapon and struck downward. Merrin conjured a barrier to stop the glowing blade of pure energy, straining under the pressure of Vader's strength, the Nightsister tried to push him backwards._

_"You are not afraid of the dark side, instead you wield it in ways I've never seen before. You will make a powerful Sith one day if you join me. I can help you amplify those powers," Vader offered._

_"My powers are not meant to be exploited by the likes of you!" Merrin declared, shoving the Sith Lord off her as she twisted her hands._

_Vader was lifted off his feet via telekinesis as the Nightsister gathered energy in her hand in preparation to hurl it at the Sith Lord. As she prepared to unleash it on her enemy, another whirling blade of a red lightsaber came hurling her way from the darkness. Merrin had to break off the telekinesis to avoid being slashed by the weapon, though her upper right shoulder was grazed by the tip of the lightsaber._

_Merrin staggered backwards a few feet from the sudden blow, her eyes enlarging in shock upon seeing Cal emerge wielding a red lightsaber._

_"Cal! What did he do to you?!" Merrin said in shock._

_"He's done nothing. This is who I truly am," Cal said with a malicious smile._

_"Show her your true powers," Vader commanded, stepping back away from the two._

_Cal split his lightsaber in two and leaped into the air, trying to catch Merrin in between his weapons. Unwilling to hurt her friend, Merrin invoked another barrier to take the blow. Cal didn't give her a chance to react since he immediately flipped backwards and reached out through the Force to yank her close. The Nightsister quickly weaved her hands in an intricate pattern, symbols formed between the waves of green energy as she hurled a blast of ichor at Cal._

_instead of dodging like she thought he would, Cal took the blast directly but it didn't seem to faze nor affect him. Merrin tried to slow him down with several more ichor blasts but like before, Cal merely allowed the energy balls to land on his body._

_"Cal stop this!" she pleaded, barely managing to erect another barrier as his lightsabers attacked from the right._

_Her plea fell upon deaf ears as Cal flipped into the air, threw one lightsaber at her as a distraction then used the other one to attack her exposed torso. Merrin gasped in pain upon feeling the tip of the lightsaber searing through her flesh and immediately blasted Cal away from her. The wound wasn't bleeding since it was cauterized but it was still painful nonetheless._

_"Cal please! Fight it! Fight the darkness in your heart!" Merrin said, pressing a hand against her injury in an attempt to heal it._

_The Sith Lord placed the Nightsister in a choke hold at that moment, with the latter to weak to fight it off. Merrin was lifted off her feet as her hands grasped at her neck, clawing at the invisible tendrils in a futile attempt to breathe. Vader made a motion with his other hand, signaling to Cal what he wanted him to do. The fallen Jedi Knight walked forward towards Merrin._

_"C-Cal...d-don't do t-this," Merrin struggled to say, tears trickling down her face as Cal continued walking towards her._

_"End her," Vader ordered._

_Just before Cal's lightsaber fell upon Merrin's head, a flash of white light enveloped the darkness, temporarily blinding everyone in the process. Merrin felt the grip around her neck release and she crumpled to the floor, greedily sucking in huge breaths of air into her deprived lungs. Standing before the Nightsister was a small green-skinned alien clad in the robes of what appeared to be a Jedi. Strangely enough, there was a sense of calm and peace surrounding the mysterious Jedi the longer Merrin stared at him._

_"Protect him you must. Evil in his heart you must clear," the Jedi said in a strange way._

_"How? Teach me please!" she said._

_"Light and dark, two sides of the same coin they are. Train Cal Kestis in the dark side of the Force, you must."_

_"I need to...train Cal in the dark side?..."_

_"To combat Vader's growing influence on Cal, this you must do. Only then can Cal Kestis reclaim his heart," the alien finished._

_Merrin slowly pushed herself back onto her feet._

_"I will try my best," she whispered._

_"Do. Or do not. There is no try. Save Cal Kestis, you wish, hmm?"_

_"Of course! I cannot lose another I hold dear to me."_

_The alien Jedi gave her a cryptic smile and ignited a green lightsaber._

_"Help you this time, I will. Break the connection off at the right time, you will need to."_

_Nodding her head in understanding, Merrin took a deep breath to reorient herself._

_"I'm ready," she declared._

_Her savior gave another cryptic smile and launched himself at Vader, the Sith Lord clearly wasn't expecting the spectral apparition to show up in their shared limbo world. All Merrin could see were flashes of red and green as they dueled one another fiercely. It became clear to the Nightsister who was gaining the upper hand the longer they fought. While Vader exuded power and confidence, the alien Jedi was the embodiment of grace and elegance. Not a single move was wasted, each had its purpose, every blow had its mark. It was like watching two performers battle for supremacy._

_The alien Jedi suddenly reached out through the Force and pushed Cal into Merrin's arms._

_"Go you must!" he said._

_The Nightsister called her consciousness back to her body and took Cal along with her._

* * *

Cere rushed back into the room when she heard the faint thuds of bodies hitting the floor of the ship. Merrin was the first to open her eyes as she gasped in several breaths of air, followed by Cal, the latter clearly in worse shape than the Nightsister.

"Merrin! Cal! Thank the Force you two are safe!" Cere pulled them into a crushing hug.

"What happened?..." Cal groaned, having no recollections of anything that happened after he tried to sleep on the sofa of the Mantis.

Merrin's response was to slap Cal across the face, leaving the Jedi Knight stunned as to what he had done, only for the Nightsister to throw her arms around his neck to hug him tightly. Her body trembled against his and Cal could feel the unmistakable wetness of tears staining his shirt.

" _Never_ do that to me again Cal Kestis," Merrin said through her cries.

"What did I do?" Cal was beyond perplexed at this point.

"You were lost within the Force. Merrin went in to save you before you could completely fall to the dark side because of Vader's influence," Cere explained, frowning at the Jedi Knight for what he had nearly done to the Nightsister.

"All I remember was...falling asleep and...battling a specter of Vader and then everything goes dark after that."

Removing herself from around Cal's neck, Merrin wiped her eyes with the back of one hand.

"You...the you in the Force fell to the dark side. I was forced to battle you and Vader, until he held me hostage and ordered you to kill me. I would have very well died if that actually happened, but this bright light appeared and a strange green-skinned alien Jedi saved me, saved _us_."

Upon hearing Merrin say green-skinned alien Jedi, both Cere and Cal came to the same conclusion as to who the Nightsister saw within the Force.

"Master Yoda," Cere said quietly.

"He was the one who saved me?..." Cal couldn't believe it.

Even after fleeing to Dagobah to hide from the Empire, Master Yoda was still able to Force project himself to guide his fellow Jedi from falling to the dark side. Cal closed his eyes and sent a silent whisper of thanks, hoping the Force will carry his message through to the hidden Jedi Master.

"Cal, this Master Yoda left me a message before helping me free your consciousness from Vader's grasp."

Emerald orbs locked onto amber as Cal gave her his full attention.

"He told me to train you in the dark side of the Force."

* * *

-Dagobah-

Yoda slowly opened his eyes to gaze into the night sky overhead, having exhausted himself from helping the young Jedi Knight and his companion free themselves from Vader's influence through the Force. Since he fled to this swamp planet which was now his home, Yoda had been constantly meditating and communing with the ghost of Qui-Gon Jinn, learning the secrets of becoming one with the Force should he die in the future.

Thanks to the planet's overwhelming dark energies, he was able to hide himself from the Empire with relative ease since the execution of Order 66. The time he spent on the planet allowed him to search the Force for any survivors of the Order and guide them on the right path if they were straying from the light.

Cal Kestis was no exception when Yoda felt the Force resonate strongly within the boy.

Knowing it would be a risk to expose himself like that to the Sith and Empire, Yoda couldn't let Cal continue down the path he was going.

Thus he intervened.

The only thing the Jedi Master could hope for now was his companion to heed his words and train the young Jedi in the ways of the dark side, to help combat Vader's influence on the boy's mind.

* * *

"Master Yoda wants you to _what_?" Cal asked again, afraid he heard wrong the first time.

"Wants me to train you in the dark side of the Force so you can combat Vader's influence on your mind," Merrin repeated calmly.

Cal didn't how to react.

Why would Master Yoda want Merrin to train him in the dark side of the Force? Her understanding and utilization of it as a Nightsister was completely different from the way Jedi used it. Would there be any benefit to her doing what Master Yoda said? Still, part of the Jedi Knight was still in denial that Master Yoda protected him from Vader's attempt to coerce him into the dark side.

Maybe he should've taken more time to get to know the Jedi Master back when the Order still existed.

"Cal?"

"Merrin...can you give me some time to think this over?" he finally said.

The Nightsister gave a nod of her head and left Cere's room to give him some privacy and time to think.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_I honestly haven't expected to receive all the love this story has gotten so far from my readers lol._

_I originally wrote this because I wanted to see how it would go in my head if Trilla survived Vader killing her at the end of the game._

_I feel like she deserves some screen time instead of always Cal/Merrin being written lol_

_Maybe I'll do a few chapters of her inner conflicts with the dark side despite redeeming herself to the light._

_See you next time._

_Celsius Fate~_


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trilla tries to ambush Cal outside the Mantis, but this time he is prepared....

Cal was still in denial over the fact that Master Yoda had been the one to personally save him and Merrin when he was trapped within the limbo world of the Force. Truth be told, he had no recollections of anything that happened after the part where Vader struck him down. It's like there was a gap in his memory he couldn't think of no matter how hard he tried.

_Beep-fwoo?_

BD-1 poked its head around the corner of the room at Cal.

"Hey buddy, come here."

The little droid hopped over to where Cal was and climbed onto his lap, looking up at him as its antennas flattened against its head several times.

"You worried about me little guy?"

_Boop._

"I'm fine now. Thanks for looking out for me though," Cal said, rubbing BD on the head.

BD wiggled in happiness and beeped at him.

"BD...should I let Merrin train me in the dark side of the Force?"

 _Boop-trill-beep_?

"I know. I'm not sure if I should let her do either, but apparently Master Yoda asked her to do so for me."

The little droid cocked its head to the side and watched Cal carefully.

If his master was still alive he would most likely tell him to trust in the Force just like he said before he died during the ambush aboard their Venator. If what Merrin said was true about him falling to the dark side within the Force, then wouldn't it be wiser for him _not_ to accept her offer?

The Jedi Knight sighed heavily and rubbed his head with both hands.

"I don't know what to do BD," he said, looking at the little droid with a frown.

_Beep-fwee._

"Yea. Of course I trust her."

 _Boop-trill-boop-fwee_.

"You sure I should?"

BD-1 nodded its head vehemently at his companion.

Cal got up from Cere's bed and headed out of her room only to find Trilla standing on the other end. He nearly bumped into her if he hadn't stopped himself in time.

"Trilla? What's going on?" he looked at her curiously.

"Can we talk outside the ship?" she asked in a strange tone, turning around before Cal could even give her a response.

* * *

The two Jedi stepped off the Mantis and into the blazing heat of Tatooine.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?"

Instead of answering his question, Trilla suddenly whirled around and attacked Cal with her lightsaber, the latter barely managing to parry the blow with his own lightsaber. She didn't give him a chance to ask anything because her next attack was immediately aimed at his ribs. The ginger-haired Knight rolled out of the way to avoid the blow, then split his lightsaber into two.

Trilla renewed her attack on Cal, spinning rapidly with her lightsaber, then charged up for a powerful attack as she jumped into the air.

Cal recognized this move as the one she tried to use on him back on Nur and immediately backtracked. Trilla's lightsaber stabbed into the desert ground of the planet, giving him a chance to close in with his lightsabers. She was able to parry one of his blades with hers, then reached out with the Force to stop his other hand from moving. He could feel her intent to kill him through the Force, but Cal had learned a new trick or two since his own encounter with Vader.

Switching off the lightsaber in his right hand, Cal let it drop to the ground, then kicked it towards Trilla right before it hit the sands. Reaching out through the Force with his free hand, the Jedi Knight ignited the weapon and directed it to strike Trilla's abdomen, making sure to miss her vitals on purpose. She gasped in pain when the tip pierced through her flesh, having clearly not expected this from someone she had deemed weak, a Padawan who hadn't even finished his training.

Now that he had the upper-hand against Trilla, Cal recalled his lightsaber back while placing her in a semi headlock.

"What's going on?" Cere rushed off the ship upon hearing the commotion.

"That's what I want to know," Cal grunted, making sure he wasn't suffocating a struggling Trilla.

The ginger-haired Knight knocked Trilla out with a blow to the back of her neck, and her body slumped over in his arms. Cere took Trilla from Cal and placed a hand on her forehead. The former Jedi Knight could sense a growing darkness within Trilla's mind through the Force.

"Is she alright?"

"No. It seems her losing against the Sixth Brother on Kashyyk triggered a break down of her personality. The light and dark sides are battling for power, which means she'll have lapses of her old self from time to time until one side wins," Cere said, looking up at Cal.

So he wasn't the only one struggling with the dark side of the Force.

Childlike coos and laughter interrupted the two as both glanced up to find a small version of Yoda staring at them in amazement. Cal smiled and reached a hand out towards the alien child, the latter stretching to reach the tips of his fingers. If the baby was still around, then it meant the Mandalorian must still be on Tatooine.

"Hey little guy, where's your guardian?" Cal asked it.

The baby cooed and tilted his head to towards Trilla, then slowly waddled over to where she was. Cere was fascinated by the child as it reached a hand out towards Trilla, and both of them felt a reaction in the Force.

"This child...he's Force-sensitive," Cal said, eyes widening in shock.

"His connection is a powerful one...if the Empire discovered this..."

The Mandalorian came out from his ship at that moment and walked over to where the child was, bending down to scoop him up in his arms.

"I see you are still here," the bounty hunter addressed, his helmet clearing locking onto Cal.

"Just waiting on repairs to the engine," Cal answered, indicating towards the rear of the Mantis.

The Mandalorian leaned towards the left a little to study the engine.

"Do you require assistance?"

Greez lumbered down from the ramp just in time to hear the bounty hunter offer assistance and immediately jumped on the chance.

"Would I ever? This will go so much faster with two people working! I never got to properly thank you for saving us earlier either!"

The two headed towards the engines in the back, leaving Cere alone with Cal and Trilla. Knowing it was too dangerous to let Trilla be unsupervised from that moment, both of them agreed on watching her from the distance. Should either sense she was about to fall back to her old ways, they would intervene before things got out of hand.

* * *

-Kamino-

Starkiller walked through the corridor of the cloning facility, striking down anyone who tried to get in his way. The same dream had been repeatedly plaguing him and the secret apprentice of Darth Vader wanted, _needed_ answers as to who he really was. He knew he was cloned on Kamino after multiple failures by the Kaminoans to replicate a Force-sensitive user. Everything that came before that could not be recalled. The only constant was his dream of a white-haired woman who kept calling his name.

He needed to find out the truth.

That was the reason he went to Kamino behind Vader's back.

Who better to ask for answers than the aliens who cloned him right?

Turning the corner that led to the Prime Minister's chambers, Starkiller was confronted by a Kaminoan standing outside the door. He hadn't seen this Kaminoan before, but what stuck out the most about her was the attire she wore.

Her robes resembled that of a Jedi.

It couldn't be possible.

All Jedi have either been eliminated or converted to Inquisitors, like the case with the former Second Sister Trilla Suduri.

Yet it was undeniable as Starkiller studied her carefully.

The Kaminoan standing before him was a Force user.

"You should not be here," she said calmly.

"Stand aside. This will be the only time I warn you, _Jedi_."

The Kaminoan was unfazed as she produced her lightsaber from seemingly nowhere, igniting it to show a blue plasma blade. Starkiller took out his own lightsaber, the red glow a stark contrast to hers.

"Kina Ha, stand down."

The doors behind her opened and Lama Su walked out with Taun We, both Kaminoans seemed to be expecting his arrival.

* * *

Thanks to the efforts of Greez and the Mandalorian, the Mantis's engines were repaired in record time. Cal was glad to finally be getting off the planet, but part of him felt sorry for never responding to Quinlan Vos' invitation. Not that it mattered much to the ginger-haired Knight, since he trusted Merrin more than the renegade Jedi Master and a former acolyte of Count Dooku.

"Thanks for the help," Cal said to the Mandalorian as they prepared to take off.

"Watch your backs out there," was all the bounty hunter said.

"Please keep the child safe," Cal bent down to pat the alien child on the head one last time.

It cooed and giggled at him.

With a wave of his hand as a gesture of farewell, the Mandalorian picked up the child and walked back to his own ship. Cal went inside just as Greez closed the ramp so he could fire up the engines. With Merrin watching over Trilla in the back until she woke up, Cal took his seat up front with Greez and Cere.

"So have you decided what you're going to do?" Cere asked once they were off Tatooine.

"I don't know if I should follow Master Yoda's advice..." Cal replied.

"Master Yoda was the wisest in the Order, everyone always took his words to heart and listened to what he had to say. While some didn't agree with his methods from time to time, he was still very well respected."

Cal sighed and rubbed a hand over his face wearily.

Why couldn't things be easy on him for once?

* * *

_To be continued..._

_I might take a break from updating on Saturday and Sunday so I can get some more brain juice flowing for the next chapters XD_

_Kina Ha is the only Kaminoan to ever become a Jedi according to the Star Wars Wiki, but others rarely knew about her since she didn't really set foot inside the temple except for once every decade or so iirc, so it would make sense if she somehow survived the Purge._

_See you until then!_

_Celsius Fate~_


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka faces off against the three Inquisitors and somehow manages to defeat them....or did she? 
> 
> Merrin begins to teach Cal how to use the dark side of the Force, but the Jedi Knight realizes it's not as easy as he thinks.

-Lothal-

Hera and the rest of her crew were in the middle of helping the citizens of Lothal carry much needed supplies into their homes when several Imperial transports appeared in their airspace. The Twi'lek was alarmed by the sight of their massive transports and she immediately signaled to the others to sound the alarms. In honestly, she had been expecting the Empire to launch a counter-attack, but she didn't expect them to come _this_ soon.

"Zeb, get the others out of here!" she shouted while the rest of the rebel fighters grabbed their weapons.

"What about you?" the Lasat called back.

"We'll buy you guys time, now go!"

The transports touched down and began unloading row after row of clone troopers, while three individual ships landed beside them to reveal three Inquisitors jumping off. Hera cursed under her breath when she realized the Empire clearly wanted to take Lothal back by Force if they felt the need to send three Inquisitors to do so.

"Form a defensive position and don't let them break through no matter what!"

The others listened to her orders and took up positions behind barricades and makeshift barriers. Hera ducked as plasma shots began flying over her head, then took several Stormtroopers out with well-aimed shots of her own. The size of the army was massive, there was no way they were going to be able to defend this place for long. Yet something within the Twi'lek told her not to give up, not after what they had been through to free the planet from Imperial control, not after what Ezra had done to give them the chance they needed.

Ahsoka and Sabine were still away on their mission to search for their missing companion as well.

"Kannan, I really wish you were here right now."

* * *

Entiran looked around the plaza they had landed in and scoffed under his helmet. While he understood the important Lothal held to the Empire, was it really necessary for Lord Vader to send three Inquisitors to reclaim the planet? The people of Lothal look like they can barely lift a weapon, save for the group of rebel fighters currently firing at them from their makeshift base.

"Pitiful aren't they?" Tajjizez said, standing next to the human male with her arms crossed.

"Can you blame them for trying?" Entiran replied, calmly walking forward as Stormtroopers rushed past.

"Let's just wrap this up so we can go back for dinner," Kul'nenu said, twirling her lightsaber in her hand repeatedly.

Entiran and Tajjizez turned to look at the Twi'lek Inquisitor and sighed at the same time. While they weren't on terrible terms with the Fifth Sister, the Twil'lek's reputation for always having an appetite clearly got on their nerves from time to time. This was one of those incidents where they wished Lord Vader had paired them with another Inquisitor who was more tolerable.

"We've been given orders to only engage if we see a Jedi. The Stormtroopers are more than enough to deal with these rats," Entiran said.

* * *

Back aboard the Mantis which had finally taken off from Tatooine, Cere was tending to an unconscious Trilla in the back, leaving Cal and Merrin to figure things out in the front of the ship. After deliberating for a very long time, the Jedi Knight decided it would be best to listen to Master Yoda's advice and have the Nightsister train him in the dark side of the Force. If he could learn to control both light and dark, then perhaps he wouldn't fear Vader anymore.

"Cal, you are sure about this?" Merrin asked for the tenth time as they sat facing each other on the floor of the Mantis.

"Yes. It's the only way I can stop these nightmares," he said confidently.

Merrin raised her hands to gather energy between them.

"I will do my best to teach you about the dark side, but since I am not a Jedi, I do not know how successful I will be."

Fearless emerald met hesitant amber as Cal gave a nod of his head, a small sign that he trusted the Nightsister with more than just his life now. He gently reached a hand out, resting his palm against her face. Merrin looked at him with a smile as she leaned into his touch. Since the whole ordeal with saving him inside the limbo world of the Force, the Nightsister felt a deeper connection with the Jedi than she dared admit.

"I trust you. You saved my life more than once," he murmured.

"Then let us begin," Merrin replied with a smile.

Waving her hands in front of her as she chanted, Merrin gathered some energy between her palms and then pressed them into Cal's hands, pushing the energy into his body so he could experience what it was like to wield magick from the dark side. Anticipating a surge of raw power to flow through his body, Cal was pleasantly surprised to discover that Merrin's magick was warm, almost like a fire in the middle of a cold night. Every part of him was touched by her magick, wrapping around like a cocoon.

"Can you feel it?" Merrin asked, noticing the peaceful look on Cal's face.

"Yea. It's warm like a fire. Is this how you always feel when you use your magick?" he couldn't help but ask.

"Only when I'm at peace. When I'm angry, it feels more like a raging inferno that you can't control."

Cal wasn't sure if he ever wanted to experience or even know how it feels to be burnt by a raging inferno.

"Concentrate. Reach out to it," Merrin instructed.

Picturing himself standing atop the grassy plains of Bogano, Cal concentrated the power within into a visible ball of pure energy which hovered in front of him. Once that ball was visible to the naked eye, the Jedi Knight extended his right out outwards and grasped it. A wave of emotions smacked him right in the gut and Cal grunted, dropping the orb as a gasp escaped his lips.

"I don't think I can do this Merrin," he said, opening his eyes to look at her.

"You fear it. What the power can do if you control it," she replied calmly.

"Fear leads to the dark side," he recited automatically.

Merrin lowered her hands and touched her forehead to Cal's.

"You are thinking like a Jedi. Do not let your past training influence you. Everyone has emotions, it is a natural part of being human. I have fear as well, but I do not let it control my powers or emotions. You do not need to fear that which should not be feared. Do you fear using the light side?"

"Of course not," he said without hesitation.

The Nightsister gave a nod of her head.

"Then do not fear," she repeated.

Cal closed his eyes and took a deep breath as Merrin instructed him.

* * *

The Inquisitors grew increasingly frustrated at the rebels who were putting up a decent fight to prevent them from moving forward into the city. If they didn't do something, this mission will either result in a failure or become a nuisance to the Empire. None of the three want to face Vader's wrath, but they didn't want to have to explain themselves to the Emperor either.

"Shall we go and end this?" Entiran drawled, walking forward as he drew his lightsaber.

Both the Togruta and Twi'lek Inquisitors grinned, showing off their pointed fangs as the trio ignited their weapons. Upon seeing the three of them advancing towards the barricade, the rebels concentrated their fire on them, though the shots were easily deflected.

"Retreat towards the back!" they heard a voice shout.

Reaching out through the Force, Entiran pulled one of the rebels towards him and casually cut the struggling native in half with one swing of his lightsaber.

"This will be faster than we thought," Tajjizez said.

Entiran raised a hand as he felt a strong disturb in the Force at that moment. The other two sensed it as well and immediately took on a defensive position just as a figure leaped out from a ship flying overhead.

* * *

Ahsoka was glad she managed to make it back to Lothal in time to help fight off the Inquisitors who were attacking the city. After picking up the distress signal sent by Chopper from Hera's ship, she and Sabine rushed back to help their friends. They made it back to Lothal and Ahsoka dropped herself off the ship, falling down towards the ground with her lightsabers ready.

The Inquisitors weren't hard to miss with their tell-tale robes of the Empire and the insignia etched into their armor. The Togruta Jedi could sense three of them, and one was of the same race as her.

Flipping in the air gracefully to slow her fall as she neared the ground, Ahsoka landed on her her feet and one hand as she looked up with a smirk at the Inquisitors.

"Jedi. This will be fun," one of them said as they formed a triangle around her.

"Ahsoka!" Hera's voice came from behind one of the barricades.

"I got this! You help the others escape to safety!"

Knowing the Twi'lek would do just that, Ahsoka focused her attention on the three Inquisitors as they circled her like prey. This was the first time she faced three, which meant she couldn't leave any openings for them to attack. Switching to her more comfortable style of the Shien reverse grip, Ahsoka wait for the first Inquisitor to strike.

"White lightsabers. Interesting, that's a color I've never seen before. It will make a fine addition to my collection," one of the females said.

"Your obsession with toys knows no limits, Fifth Sister."

"I can say the same about your eating habits my dear Ninth Sister."

Fifth and Ninth.

Those were pretty high ranks.

Which meant the remaining Inquisitor was either lower than the two or in between them.

"Can we focus on the task at hand?" the male Inquisitor said in a clipped voice.

The two female Inquisitors scoffed under their helmets but turned to Ahsoka. One of the females launched at her from behind, and Ahsoka responded by whirling around with her lightsaber to block the blow. The other female took the chance to attack from the front, hoping to catch the Togruta off-guard but she was able to sense the incoming attack and used the Force to stop the Ninth Sister in her tracks.

Ahsoka silently praised herself for her increased skills.

"She's strong in the Force," the Ninth Sister said, struggling to break free from Ahsoka's hold.

The Sixth Brother countered with his own Force hold, shattering Ahsoka's grip on the Ninth Sister as the Fifth Sister continued pressing downward with her lightsaber. Bringing her right hand up, Ahsoka slammed the hilt of her lightsaber into the Fifth Sister's ribs, knocking the breath out of the Inquisitor as she stumbled backwards away from the Togruta.

"You'll pay for that!" her companion hissed, jumping into the air.

Again she stopped the Ninth Sister through the Force and ducked just as the only male Inquisitor sent his lightsaber spinning her way. She lifted the blade of her right lightsaber to deflect the weapon back. Throwing the Ninth Sister to the side, Ahsoka focused her attention on the male and leaped towards him. His lightsaber came swinging her way, forcing the Togruta to block with both her blades.

"I can see why Lord Vader wants you brought back alive, Ahsoka Tano."

The Togruta Jedi wasn't surprised the Inquisitors knew who she was.

Being the former Padawan of the Sith Lord Vader must have earned her something of a reputation among the Inquisitorius.

"Shame. If only we could be allies," the Sixth Brother said, noticing the Fifth and Ninth Sisters sneaking up from behind.

Thanks to her montrals which allowed her to perceive her surroundings through a form of echolocation, Ahsoka was able to come up with a plan. Utilizing the trick she had used against the Seventh Sister, the Togruta switched off the Sixth Brother's lightsaber through the Force, shocking the latter as he clearly hadn't been expecting that. With the split second advantage that she had, Ahsoka spun around the Inquisitor until she was positioned behind.

"I'll never go back with you," she hissed, then Force pushed the Inquisitor into the blades of his two comrades.

Unable to stop themselves due to the momentum of their launch, the only thing the two female Inquisitors could do were to switch off their lightsabers to prevent impaling their fellow comrade.

The three collide into one pile on the ground and Ahsoka quickly used the Force to bind them with a piece of wire lying on the ground.

"Glad you got here in time," Hera said after the Togruta Jedi subdued the three Inquisitors.

"I don't know how I managed to do that," Ahsoka said wearily, leaning against her friend for support.

Neither noticed the discarded lightsaber of the Sixth Brother being called back to its master's side through the Force.

* * *

"Focus," Merrin gently encouraged, stroking Cal's face with one hand as the Jedi Knight gave an exasperated sigh.

"I'm trying but it's not getting me anywhere!" he said in a frustrated tone.

The Nightsister unfolded her legs and stood up from the ground.

"Maybe we should take a break. You've been going at this for a while now," she suggested.

Cal couldn't agree more as he stood up himself to stretch his stiff limbs.

Maybe they could get something to eat in the kitchen since they were still not close to landing at Alderaan.

The two of them walked out of the room they were meditating in just as Greez came lumbering towards them.

"We're about to land in Alderaan. Come on guys," the Lateron said.

Both of them headed to the front where they saw Trilla sitting on the sofa with a apologetic look on her face. Cal could only hope whatever happened on the surface of Tatooine was behind them.

"Hey Trilla," he said with a smile.

"Cal, I want to apologize for what happened on Tatooine...I don't know what came over me," she said quietly.

"It's fine. I'm not mad at you," Cal responded.

Trilla looked at her hands and fidgeted with them nervously.

"Cal...if I fall back into the dark side again...I want you to strike me down," she said, lifting her head to meet his gaze.

* * *

_To be continued...._

_I've decided to do weekly updates instead of daily ones XD_

_Daily ones sap my brain juices like no tomorrow =3=_

_Next chapter will be coming next week!_

_See you until then!_

_Celsius Fate~_


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cal and the crew have finally arrived on Alderaan.
> 
> Greez attempts to form a closer bond with Merrin. 
> 
> Ahsoka finds herself in a pinch when the Inquisitors focus their attention on Hera and the rebel fighters on Lothal.

"I want you to strike me down," Trilla finished, her eyes locking onto Cal's as the latter stared at her in shock.

"Why would I do that?" he finally replied after a pregnant pause.

"Because I don't want to hurt you or Cere, or even Merrin for that matter. I know...I have been slipping since my encounter with the Sixth Brother. I'm afraid I'll lose control over myself like I did back there and try to hurt you," she explained, turning her head to the side, her eyes casting a downward glance at the floor.

Cal's green orbs fell upon the lightsaber wound he inflicted on her earlier. He thought Cere would have healed it by now, but her mind must have been preoccupied with Trilla's erratic behavior. Instead the wound was hastily bandaged and even the slightest of movements caused Trilla pain. Recalling what Cere had done for him when he was hurt, he reached a hand out over the injury.

"What are you doing?" Trilla asked, moving back a little when he reached out towards her.

"Just trying what Cere did to me," Cal closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and reached out with the Force.

Merrin and Trilla watched in silence as Cal passed on some of his energy to the latter through the Force, and the wound began to knit itself closed as fresh skin emerged over the scarred tissue. Once the wound was healed, the ginger-haired Knight opened his eyes and leaned back against the sofa, small gasps of air escaping his lips as he calmed himself down.

"Now I get why Cere looks so tired after healing. It really does take a toll on you," Cal said with a small laugh.

Trilla examined her torso and saw the lightsaber wound had completely healed over.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

"Don't mention it."

Greez shouted from up front at that moment that they had arrived at Alderaan.

* * *

-Lothal-

Ahsoka sensed the lightsaber from behind Hera being recalled back to the Sixth Brother and quickly pushed the Twi'lek out of the way as the saber ignited itself halfway through returning to its master's hand. The white blade of her own lightsaber parried the red as the Togruta deflected the blow, then quickly reached out with the Force to prevent the Inquisitor from regaining his weapon.

It was a game of tug-of-war as the two fought over control for the weapon.

The Togruta narrowed her eyes in concentration as her fingers instinctively curled inwards, pulling strongly on the weapon while the Sixth Brother's hold wasn't weak in any way.

Their control over the Force were clearly equal as the lightsaber hovered between the two, refusing to budge due to the proportionate pull from both sides.

Hera noticed the other two Inquisitors were using this as a distraction to recall their own lightsabers.

"Ahsoka watch out!" she warned.

Ducking as one of the blades went spinning over her head, Ahsoka's pull over the lightsaber was broken, allowing the Sixth Brother to reclaim his weapon. The three Inquisitors broke free from their bonds and surrounded the Togruta Jedi, keeping her trapped in a triangular formation. Ahsoka ignited her other saber and switched to the Shien reverse grip on one, her legs slowly walking in a circle as she faced the trio.

"There's no one here to save you this time," the Ninth Sister taunted.

"I don't need help," Ahsoka retorted, her montrals warning her of an attack from behind.

Using the Force to aid her, the Togruta launched herself high into the air, flipping over in a graceful arc to land behind the three Inquisitors. Clearly the three have underestimated her abilities because Ahsoka threw one of her lightsabers outward in a semi-circle, using the Force to pull it back into her hand.

"You are more skilled than you appear to be," the Fifth Sister remarked.

"I feel flattered," Ahsoka deadpanned.

The Sixth Brother leaped towards her with his lightsaber spinning in hand and Ahsoka stepped backwards to avoid the strike. Striking upward with the blade held in the reverse grip, the Togruta blocked the next attack, then kicked backwards as the Ninth Sister attempted to sneak up undetected. The kick knocked the breath out of the Twi'lek Inquisitor as she stumbled backwards into the Fifth Sister.

"Watch it!"

"You watch it!"

Seizing this chance, Ahsoka stretched a hand out and Force pushed the two bickering Inquisitors into the nearby building, knocking them out as the back of their heads made contact with the wall. This gave her some breathing room since she could now solely focus on the Sixth Brother.

"Just you and me. You know, you have great potential to become an Inquisitor. Why must you oppose the Empire? As Lord Vader's former Padawan, your skills will be of great service to the Emperor," the Sixth Brother said, walking slowly in circles around the Togruta, the tip of his lightsaber scorching the ground as he did.

"I left the Jedi Order long ago. I will not betray myself nor my comrades by joining the Empire in torturing and hunting down surviving Jedi!"

"Shame. We could have been such good partners."

The two jumped at one another with their lightsabers.

* * *

Alderaan was definitely one of the nicer planets that Cal has seen once the Mantis landed at one of the ports. Cal walked down the ramp alongside Cere and Trilla, while Merrin opted to remain behind to help Greez in case something happened. There were no Stormtroopers in sight, which was a welcome relief to the weary group as they made their way towards the city.

"Is Alderaan always this peaceful?" Cal asked, observing the people around as they walked past the trio.

"No. The Sith Empire launched a full-scale invasion during the height of the Great Galactic War. They took the royal family hostage but a counter-attack by the Republic and Jedi task force managed to crush the enemy and freed the royal family. As a result of this, Alderaan adopted a militarist stance against the Sith before the fall of the Senate."

Cal sucked in a breath upon hearing Cere's explanation.

So the Sith actually tried to take over the planet by force but were repelled by the Republic and Jedi prior to Order 66...did his master participate in the task force as well?

"Come. Our contact is up ahead," Cere beckoned for the two to follow.

They walked up a hill leading to an extravagant palace in the distance. Standing at the base of the hill was a male dressed in elegant blue robes, and Cal couldn't help but wonder if the man was part of the royal family.

"Cere Junda, it's so good to see you."

"Senator Organa, I'm glad you have accepted my request."

The man chuckled and raised a hand up at the mention of Cere calling him Senator.

"Please, call me Bail. Who might these two be?" he asked, peering over Cere's shoulder.

Cere glanced around cautiously, prompting Bail Organa to assure her that there were no Empire spies on Alderaan.

"This is Cal Kestis, a Jedi Knight who survived Order 66. Standing next to him is my former Padawan, Trilla Suduri, who is also a Jedi Knight."

Bail Organa's eyes went wide upon hearing this.

"So there are Jedi who have survived Order 66. When I heard...heard of what the Emperor had ordered, I was greatly disturbed by it. I was aware that Masters Yoda and Obi-Wan managed to escape the purge, but it seems I was wrong in assuming the others have fallen victim to the Empire."

"My master didn't survive. He died protecting me aboard the Venator we were on when the Emperor gave the command," Cal said bitterly.

"Who was your master?" Organa couldn't help but ask.

"Jaro Tapal," Cal's fingers instinctively touched his lightsaber.

"I have heard of Master Jaro Tapal, but never had the honor of meeting him in person. I am sure your master would not wish for you to dwell on the past. Come, let us converse inside where it is more comfortable."

The group began making their way up the hill towards the palace. Trilla was talking to Cere quietly ahead of Cal, leaving him alone with the Senator who had taken a slight interest in him.

"Your name is Cal isn't it? Can you tell me how you managed to escape from the Empire? I heard the Emperor has his Inquisitors scouring every planet for Jedi survivors."

Why was everyone so interested in hearing how he hid from the Empire?

"I hid on Bracca for five years working as a rigger."

"I see. How is it you came to know Cere?"

"I...had a friend...a Abednedo named Prauf. We worked together for the guild, and while we were on an assignment one day...I was forced to reveal my identity as a Jedi to save his life during an accident. The Empire discovered this and sent two Inquisitors to Bracca to bring me back. Prauf...sacrificed himself so I could escape and that's when I met Cere," Cal explained, clenching and releasing his hands as he spoke.

Realizing his inquiries were dredging up painful memories for the Jedi, Bail Organa chose to rest a hand on the latter's shoulder.

"I'm sorry if this brings up painful memories for you. It was not my intention," he apologized.

"It's fine. I've accepted it," Cal said, giving the former a small smile.

* * *

Merrin opened her eyes after meditating on board the Mantis. Teaching Cal how to use the dark side was more challenging than she expected. The ways of the Jedi and those of the Nightsisters were different. For Cal to truly understand how to balance both, it will certainly take some drastic measures. The Nightsister thought back to what Master Yoda's apparition had told her.

To save Cal from the darkness in his heart, she needed to help him purge Vader's influence.

Suddenly the task sounded more daunting than anticipated.

Having faced Vader within the limbo world of what Cal called the Force, Merrin experienced first-hand just how powerful the Sith Lord is. If it weren't for her knowledge in wielding magick and Yoda's timely interference, her consciousness would have been defeated. Mother Talzin once warned that should their consciousness die within, their physical bodies will perish as well.

"Are you alright there Merrin?" Greez interrupted, cutting Merrin off from her thoughts.

"I am fine. How is the ship coming along?" she asked, unfolding her legs to stand.

The Lateron placed a bunch of tools on the kitchen table.

"All finished. The Mantis is back to one hundred percent functionality."

"That is good news indeed," the Nightsister walked over to stand beside the captain of the ship.

Greez fought back the urge to hide himself from the Nightsister as she stood beside him. Though he had grown somewhat more comfortable with her presence, the Lateron was still weary of her.

"W-Would you like to help?" he offered, holding up a bottle of spice towards her.

A smile appeared on Merrin's lips as she took him up on the offer.

* * *

The battle between Ahsoka and the Inquisitors was wearing the Togruta down significantly. Once the Fifth and Ninth Sisters recovered from their ordeal, they coordinated a pincer attack that nearly caught Ahsoka between their lightsabers. The Togruta Jedi barely managed to escape danger by performing a dodge at the last minute where she could feel the tip of the Fifth Sister's lightsaber whiz past her face.

The Ninth Sister landed a sharp kick to her gut, forcing Ahsoka backwards as she panted heavily, exhaustion threatening to overtake her body should she falter even the slightest bit.

"Looks like she's finally starting to tire," the Ninth Sister mocked, swinging her lightsaber in a circle.

A plasma bolt fired from Hera's blaster drew the Inquisitors' attention towards the Twi'lek. Several rebel fighters were rallying to her as they fired shots from various positions. The three Inquisitors were clearly annoyed by this sudden interference and calmly deflected the shots back with their lightsabers. Bodies toppled over from their vantage points to the ground, infuriating Ahsoka as she used the Force to pull a transport flying overhead down onto the Inquisitors.

The Sixth Brother pushed the transport away into the nearby field, sending the ship crashing into the ground in flames. Thankfully the transport was flown by droids, which meant no lives were lost as Ahsoka jumped at the Sixth Brother.

"Never leave your allies open to attacks," the Sixth Brother said.

Ahsoka pushed herself away from the Inquisitor with the Force and spun around to find Hera being placed in a choke hold by the Ninth Sister.

"Hera!"

"Say farewell to your friend," the Ninth Sister jeered.

The Togruta made to save the Twi'lek from the Inquisitor but the Sixth Brother placed her in a Force hold, trapping her in place as the Fifth Sister prepared to impale Hera with her lightsaber.

"No!" Ahsoka screamed, struggling to break free from the Force hold.

Raising her weapon in the air, the Fifth Sister brought it downward in a powerful stroke.

"Hera!"

* * *

_To be continued...._

_I apologize for uploading this chapter so late but I spent 4 days in Thailand and didn't bring my laptop with me XD_

_I'm back home now though!_

_See you all next week!_

_Also, I saw the Rise of Skywalker and got a bunch of new ideas for my story in the process XD_

_Anyone else saw it? What did you think of it?_

_Celsius Fate~_


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cal discovers a mysterious connection has started to form between himself and Merrin while on Alderaan....
> 
> Meanwhile Ahsoka is slowly losing ground against the three Inquisitors...

"Hera!"

Ahsoka reached out through the Force at the last moment and yanked Hera out of the grasp of the Inquisitor. The Twi'lek was startled at first, but used the chance to fire off blasts from her weapon. The Togruta placed her in a safer spot away from their reach. Once her friend was out of harm's way, Ahsoka spun around with her lightsabers. The Sixth Brother parried her blow. The Fifth and Ninth Sisters attempted to attack from behind, but Ahsoka stopped them with the Force, the strain evident on her face as her legs began slipping backwards from the deadlock.

"Give up. You're struggling to face all three of us," the Sixth Brother taunted.

"Never," Ahsoka spat.

Her grip was starting to slip.

She had to find a way out of this situation and fast.

* * *

Cal and his group were brought inside the palace of Alderaan where they met with Bail Organa's wife Breha. The group were also introduced to the couple's daughter Leia Organa. The little girl was five years old and could walk steadily on her feet when they met her, and Cere was instantly smitten with the young princess. Even Cal found himself smiling as he bent to extend a hand out to her.

"Hi there," he said with a warm smile.

Leia shyly hid behind her mother's leg, peering over and giving the Jedi Knight an embarrassed smile of her own.

"Leia, these people are what we call Jedi, a group of peacekeepers wrongfully targeted by the Empire for their own agenda. You must remember, the Jedi are our friends and allies," Bail Organa said to his daughter.

Now Leia looked up at Cal in wonder as she slowly approached him.

"You are a Jedi?" she asked shyly.

"I am," Cal replied, gently patting her on the head.

A strong pull from the Force indicated to Cal that Leia was a Force-sensitive herself, something that caught him off guard since there had never been any reactions like this. Was Bail and Breha aware of this?

"Will you keep me safe?" Leia asked.

Her question snapped Cal out of his thoughts as he gently stroked her cheek with one hand.

"Of course. It's our job as Jedi," he promised.

Leia giggled and ran back to her mother's side as the Queen picked her daughter up for her nap. Cere and Trilla followed after the Queen to discuss private matters, leaving Cal alone with the Senator.

"Your daughter...are you aware she is Force-sensitive?" Cal asked as Bail started walking down the opposite corridor.

Bail's unfazed expression informed Cal the latter was aware of the fact.

"Cal, what I am about to tell you, you _must_ not tell anyone else or Leia's life will be in danger. Do I have your word?" he said, his tone becoming much more serious.

"On my honor as a Jedi Knight, you have my word."

Bail brought Cal to a secluded room of the palace that served as his personal study. BD-1 curiously poked his head over Cal's shoulder and jumped off, then began scanning everything while the two sat down in the seats provided.

"Leia is the daughter of Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala," Bail revealed.

The Jedi Knight was shocked by this.

"Your reaction shows you are somehow aware of the relationship between Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala."

"I have...this ability. I can sense the Force Echo left behind by objects if I touch it, and I discovered the relationship between the two after touching Vader's lightsaber," Cal explained as best he could.

"So you know of Vader's true identity then."

"Yes. He's Anakin Skywalker. I just...never knew he had a daughter."

"Twins. Leia has a twin brother named Luke. I was there when Padme gave birth to them prior to her death," Bail said, standing up to stare out the window.

Twins?

Then that meant there were two Force-sensitive children out there.

If Vader knew of this...he would no doubt try to either bring his children over to the Dark Side, or kill them before they have a chance to become Jedi. There had to be something he could do to help safeguard their future. Training Leia in the ways of the Force was out of the question. The moment the Inquisitorius got hold of there being a Force-sensitive on Alderaan, war would no doubt be brought to their doorsteps yet again.

She was no different from the children on the Holocron.

He should let the Force decide her fate.

"Is she...aware of her true heritage?" Cal asked, looking at a portrait of the Organa family on Bail's desk.

"No. Breha and I have agreed not to tell her until she came of age. Leia deserves to have a normal childhood as much as possible. We will not burden her by revealing her true lineage as the daughter of a Jedi Knight and a former Queen of Naboo."

The Jedi Knight nodded his head in agreement.

"You do not wish to train her in the ways of the Jedi do you?" Bail inquired, arching an eyebrow at the ginger-haired Knight.

"No. It's safer for her to remain unaware of her heritage and lineage as a Force-sensitive. If the Empire got hold of this, war will be brought on Alderaan's doorstep. I don't wish to be responsible for throwing this planet back into war because I wish to train your daughter as a Jedi," Cal replied, rubbing the back of his head with one hand.

Bail Organa rested a hand on the Knight's shoulder and gave him a comforting squeeze. Cal had a feeling the Senator was grateful for his decision in not training Leia as a Jedi. Cal wasn't sure if he was even ready to handle having a Padawan since he was newly Knighted himself by Cere. His understanding and training was far from being finished, not to mention the internal struggle with the Dark Side of the Force and Merrin's teachings.

"Cere has told me you are here to lend aid to the resistance. Truth is, the Resistance is still in its early stages. We do not have enough fighters nor pilots on our end to truly put up a battle with the Empire. The recent siege of Lothal has freed the planet from-"

Their conversation was interrupted by an urgent call coming from the Mantis which came through BD-1.

"Sorry about this," Cal apologized.

The bipedal droid hopped onto the table.

"Greez? What's wrong?"

 _"I picked up a urgent distress call from Lothal! It seems the Empire has sent three Inquisitors and a fleet of Stormtroopers to reclaim the planet! The rebels are under attack and request assistance!"_ the Lateron's frantic voice informed.

"Lothal is a very important planet in the galaxy. We must not let the Empire reclaim it, not after the troubles we went through to help liberate it," Organa said.

"We're on our way back," Cal replied.

" _I'll get the Mantis ready. Tell Cere and Trilla to return if they're not with you!_ "

Greez ended the call.

Cal got up from the chair and started heading towards the door when he felt a strong surge of emotions nearly overwhelming him. Pausing at the frame of the door to steady himself, the Jedi Knight flinched slightly after closing his eyes. The emotions were coming from Merrin, a mixture of sadness and anger. Something must have happened for her to feel this way. Yet the most important question that crossed Cal's mind at that moment was _how_ he was experiencing this.

Did Merrin saving him within the limbo world of the Force somehow connect them together on a deeper level?

_Beep-boop?_

Emerald orbs opened back up to find BD-1 staring up at him worriedly.

"Hey buddy, I'm alright."

Boop?

"Yea. Just a weird feeling is all," he replied.

BD-1 hopped back onto Cal's back as the duo exited the study. Cal began running towards the entrance and nearly bumped into Cere after rounding a corner that led back towards the gates of the palace.

"Cal! What's going on?" Cere steadied the Knight.

"Got a call from Greez. Lothal is under attack by the Inquisitors and Empire again. Someone sent a distress signal out for help," Cal said rapidly.

"The Mantis isn't powerful enough to repel an entire invading army of Stormtroopers," Cere said.

"We can't let the Empire retake the planet again!"

Cere knew the Jedi Knight was right. The Mantis may not have the firepower required to repel an invading fleet, but they could at least wreak havoc on the ground and lend aid to the rebels. Beside her, Trilla clenched her hands together in anticipation.

"Go. Do what you must. I'll try and contact the Wookies on Kashyyk for aid."

* * *

Ahsoka grunted in pain as the Sixth Brother sent her hurling into a nearby building after catching her off-guard. Her back made impact with the hard plaster and the Togruta could feel several bones breaking in the process. Her vision was starting to blur from exhaustion while her hands were growing tired from holding her lightsabers. Hera and the other rebels managed to escape thanks to her buying them time.

Now it was just her all alone.

"You grow tired. Lay down your lightsaber and join us as an Inquisitor," the Sixth Brother said, standing over the fallen Togruta.

" _Never_!" Ahsoka hissed defiantly.

The Fifth and Ninth Sisters watched from afar at the exchange between the two. Normally the Fifth Sister would have been in charge, given her higher rank over the other two, but Lord Vader had granted the Sixth Brother permission to be the leader of the mission this time, thus she was forced to obey his orders.

"Why does he get to have all the fun?" Kul'nenu muttered beneath her helmet.

"Do you _really_ want to get on Entiran's bad side?" Tajjizez replied, cocking her head at her fellow Inquisitor.

"No. Not really."

Entiran's temper was notorious throughout the Inquisitorius for being the most manipulative and foul of everyone. Those who have gotten on his bad side would wind up with a missing limb or in more severe cases, their lives. Only Tajjizez could partner with him without fearing consequences.

"So shut up and watch."

The two female Inquisitors turned their attention back to their fellow comrade and the struggling Jedi.

* * *

The Mantis exited from hyper space after jumping through various planets, something Greez would normally _never_ do since it put a great strain on the engines. However, this time was an emergency so the Lateron made exceptions in order to get them to Lothal as fast as possible. Cal and Trilla took the chance to prepare themselves for the upcoming battle, with the former meditating to clear his mind.

Merrin watched Cal quietly from the back as the Jedi Knight opened his eyes once the meditation period was over.

"Merrin," Cal got up to go sit beside her.

"You felt it didn't you? My emotions while you were inside the palace," Merrin said.

"I did. I don't know how or why I did...but I just felt it," he whispered, staring at his hands as he spoke.

The Nightsister covered his hands with hers.

"Cal, I believe we're connected now through the Force after what happened when I saved you from Vader," she told him.

That could be a plausible explanation for why he was able to start sensing Merrin's emotions.

"Wait...does this mean you can sense mine as well?"

"Yes. I can sense all the regret you have that still lingers," the Nightsister moved her right hand upward, resting her palm gently over his heart as she felt it beating steadily.

Cal leaned in closer to the Nightsister until their lips were a mere inch apart.

"Cal..."

"We're connected on a deeper level now Merrin..."

"We are," Merrin replied in a whisper.

"I promise I'll never abandon you."

"And I will do the same, Cal Kestis."

_Beep?_

BD-1's impeccable timing for interrupting was starting to become rather comical and annoying for Cal as the Jedi Knight frowned at the bipedal droid. BD-1 hopped around on both feet and stared at the two. Merrin laughed softly to herself while the former picked up the droid.

"Didn't we have that conversation about interrupting?" he said with a frown.

 _Boop-fwee-trill-beep_.

"I know buddy, but you need to stop doing that. It ruins the moment for me."

 _Beep-boop_.

BD-1's antennas flattened against its head.

"Come on BD, I didn't mean it."

 _Fwee-trill_.

"Alright. Let's go," Cal turned and held a hand out to Merrin.

"Are we going together?"

"Yes. We'll have the advantage with you on our side," Cal said with a smile.

The Nightsister took the offered hand and stood up just as Cere and Trilla came out from their bedrooms. Greez piloted the Mantis towards the area where the distress beacon was coming from and they could see the ground was full of dead bodies that belonged to Stormtroopers and rebels alike. Cal focused his gaze and noticed a flash of lightsabers swirling in the air.

"Over there!"

Greez twisted the handles of the Mantis and pressed the button to lower the ramp at the same time.

"You'll have to jump!"

All four gathered near the ramp while the Inquisitors fought with Ahsoka below.

"Let's go!" Cal took the first leap.

He ignited his lightsaber and used the Force to help him land on the ground between the Togruta Jedi and Inquisitors.

"Cal!" Ahsoka gasped in shock.

"We're here to help," Cal said.

Trilla, and Merrin landed beside the Jedi Knight as they faced the three Inquisitors alongside Ahsoka.

* * *

_To be continued....._

_Thoughts? Questions? Comments?_

_Happy New Year to my dear readers!_

_Celsius Fate~_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year everyone! I hope 2020 will treat you better than 2019 did. 
> 
> Anyways after seeing TROS, the connection between Rey and Kylo had me thinking maybe I can incorporate that into my story with the connection between Cal and Merrin as well. I know Rey and Kylo's connection is prophesied as the only one, but for the sake of my story, Cal and Merrin have the dyad in the Force as well. 
> 
> How are you all enjoying the story so far? 
> 
> Do leave me your thoughts!
> 
> See you all next time!


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cal and co manage to defeat the Inquisitors but the Jedi Knight nearly loses his life upon underestimating the Sixth Brother's potentials....

Entiran was expecting the battle to end rather quickly now that they managed to exhaust Ahsoka, instead he found himself facing off against two more Jedi and someone who appeared to be of Zabrak origin standing in front of the Togruta. Of course the Sixth Brother recognized the former Second Sister right away, which meant the person beside her had to be the traitor Jedi Cal Kestis, the one she and Masana failed to kill or bring back alive to the Fortress.

The position of First was going to be his if he could bring all three of them back to Lord Vader.

"More pests have shown up, just what we needed," Tajjizez muttered from his right side.

"Nothing ever goes our way anymore," Kul'nenu added.

"It's three on three now. Pick a target and go all out. We need to bring them back to the Fortress alive if possible."

Without waiting for the other two to respond, Entiran launched himself at Trilla, the latter having suspected he would go for her and immediately parried the blow with her lightsaber.

The Twi'lek shared a look with the Togruta Inquisitor and both of them charged at the remaining Jedi and his partner who were protecting Ahsoka.

* * *

Merrin was the first to react as she conjured up a barrier to block the lightsaber blows, shocking the two Inquisitors as they clearly weren't expecting that to happen. Using the chance since they were caught off-guard, Cal reached out through the Force and pushed the two of them away from where they were standing.

Both Sisters quickly flipped to regain their balance.

"A Nightsister?! How can this be?" the Ninth Sister hissed.

"I thought Count Dooku had them all killed?" the Fifth Sister added.

"I survived," Merrin said, throwing blasts of ichor at the two Inquisitors.

Cal ran forward with his lightsaber ignited on both ends, splitting the weapon down the middle to engage both Inquisitors at the same time. With Merrin providing support from afar, the Jedi Knight knew he had the advantage over the two Sisters. The Twi'lek Inquisitor snarled and swung her lightsaber sideways, but Cal merely side-stepped and gave her a harsh kick to the abdomen, then spun around and impaled her through the stomach with one of his weapons. Switching to a reverse grip on his other lightsaber, Cal swung it skyward, splitting the Inquisitor's helmet right in half to reveal her furious expression.

"You! How dare a mere insect like you destroy my helmet!" she shrieked, raising her lightsaber to strike from above.

Merrin landed between the two and raised another barrier just in time. The Ninth Sister snarled angrily and began striking haphazardly at the barrier from various angles. Cal caught sight of the Fifth Sister approaching from the right with her lightsaber flying in an arc in front. Quickly connecting his lightsabers in the middle, the Jedi Knight sent the weapon flying high above their heads.

The Fifth Sister reached a hand out to call it back through the Force, but Cal countered by pulling on it as well. The two were equally locked in a power struggle until Merrin's ichor blast broke the Inquisitor's concentration. The lightsaber slapped into Cal's hand and he grunted, forcing his Psychometry down to prevent the memories of the weapon from overwhelming him like the incident with Trilla's inside the vault on Bogano.

Thrusting a hand out before the Fifth Sister could react, Cal threw her against the wall using the Force. Merrin's footing began to slip as the Ninth Sister continued her frenzied attack, and the Nightsister was starting to grow exhausted as the lightsaber continued battering against her barrier. With the Fifth Sister knocked unconscious thanks to the power behind his push, Cal turned to face the Ninth Sister.

He rested a hand on Merrin's shoulder, and the Nightsister lowered the barrier just as the Ninth Sister came in for another strike. Cal calmly stepped in front of Merrin and raised his arm. Immediately the Inquisitor clawed at her neck as she struggled to take in breaths of air.

"Give it up," Cal said calmly.

* * *

Trilla leaped backwards to avoid another blow from Entiran as the Sixth Brother aimed for her abdomen. This time she was prepared for his attacks and tricks, after all they had once been sparring partners back at the Fortress. They were trained together by the Grand Inquisitor and from time to time, Lord Vader himself, though Trilla was always the one who came out on top.

"Tired already?" she taunted, circling the Inquisitor.

"Weakness is something we do not show, surely you remember this _dear sister_."

Trilla narrowed her eyes.

"I am _not_ your dear sister anymore," she hissed.

"Have you forgotten the times you-"

"Shut up!" Trilla screamed, swinging her lightsaber at the Sixth Brother.

Entiran chuckled and easily blocked her blow. Grabbing her wrist with his right hand, Entiran twisted harshly to force Trilla's grip on her weapon to slacken. Having anticipated this move, Trilla used her free hand to land a sharp blow to the Sixth Brother's stomach. Entiran let out a small gasp and the former Inquisitor quickly brought her knee up, slamming it into the former's nether region.

Clearly this was _not_ something Entiran was expecting and the sharp bouts of pain nearly sent him sprawling on the floor in tears.

Instead the human male Inquisitor fell on both his knees as his eyes teared up from the agony. Trilla stood there in a bit of a daze since she reacted on a whim and clearly didn't expect to actually pull it off. Shaking her head a few times, Trilla quickly called Entiran's lightsaber to her hand and ignited it. Calmly walking over to where he was kneeling, she stood over him with both lightsabers.

"Do it then. End me," he taunted, lifting his head slightly to look at her.

She could feel the intense glare behind the visor of his helmet.

"No. I won't give you the death you seek," Trilla said.

Cal and Merrin ran over to where she was standing, the Fifth and Ninth Sisters were out cold and tied up tightly further behind, with Ahsoka standing guard over the two Inquisitors. The remaining Stormtroopers were long gone, having been ordered to other parts of the planet by the three Inquisitors prior to their battle with the Togruta Jedi.

"Trilla! Are you alright?" Cal asked, standing beside her with a worried expression.

"I'm fine Cal," she replied without breaking eye contact with the Sixth Brother.

"What are we going to do about him?" Merrin had a dreadful feeling something was going to happen.

Before either Jedi could come up with a response, the Sixth Brother suddenly unleashed a barrage of Force Lightning from his hand. Cal shoved Trilla and Merrin out of the way, taking on the full brunt of the attack as the electricity surged through his body. The lightning immobilized the Jedi Knight as he crumpled to the ground. Having recovered from having his extremities being assaulted, the Sixth Brother took Cal's fallen lightsaber.

"Never let your guard down until you are sure your enemy is dead," he said, igniting it in preparation to end Cal's life.

* * *

-Kamino-

Starkiller piloted his personal fighter off the planet of Kamino after speaking with Lama Su. The Prime Minister had revealed everything to him, his origins and more importantly, how he was merely a clone of the original Starkiller whom Vader killed with his own hands in front of the Emperor.

This revelation shook him to his core as the clone exited the atmosphere of the watery planet.

Could he go back and face Vader the same he did previously?

More importantly, who was that white-haired woman who keeps appearing in his dreams?

There were so many missing pieces of the puzzle.

Maybe it was time for him to search for answers.

* * *

Merrin recovered quickly from the shove by Cal and spun around in time to see the Inquisitor pick up his fallen lightsaber. Sensing the former's intention, the Nightsister grabbed one of Trilla's lightsabers and launched herself forward just in time as the blade came swinging down on Cal's body.

"Who are you?!" the Sixth Brother demanded, skewering her behind his visor as their lightsabers were locked in combat together.

"A Nightsister of Dathomir," Merrin hissed, pushing the Inquisitor off her and threw several blasts of ichor for good measure.

The Inquisitor dodged two of them but the others barreled into his chest, searing through his armor and branding his skin. Twisting her hand while chanting in an unknown language, Merrin summoned vines from seemingly nowhere and had them wrap their way up the Inquisitor's entire body. Several tendrils swathed the Sixth Brother's throat and the Nightsister clenched her hand into a fist.

The vines began choking the Inquisitor, with several coils crept up the sides of his face, forcing the helmet off his head.

She only stopped upon feeling Trilla's hand on her shoulder, snapping her out of her trance as her grip loosened.

"I'll handle it," Trilla said quietly.

Merrin handed the lightsaber over to Trilla and rushed over to Cal's side.

* * *

Pain.

Every part of his body was screaming in agony.

Cal groaned and opened his eyes blearily, his vision taking several moments to focus properly. That's when he noticed Merrin hovering over him with a distressed expression etched upon her face.

"Merrin?..." his voice was hoarse.

"Cal!"

He tried moving a hand but his limbs refused to listen to him.

"Just rest. You shouldn't move your body for now, not after taking on the full impact of that...lightning attack," the Nightsister said.

"W-Where am I?..."

Ahsoka came into view and held out a bowl of water which Merrin took. She gently eased him into a sitting position, then helped him tip the bowl of cool water down his parched throat.

"You're at one of the hideouts on Lothal. We brought you here after knocking out the Inquisitors, though I don't know what your friend is thinking for bringing the Sixth Brother along with us," the Togruta said, sitting down beside the two.

"Wait...what?" Cal winced when he craned his neck to peer around the corner.

Trilla was meditating beside an unconscious Sixth Brother.

"What of the other two?" the Jedi Knight coughed after drinking too fast.

"Let's just say Hera and I sent them somewhere they'll have a hard time coming back from," Ahsoka said with a smirk.

"What was that...lightning back there?" Cal groaned.

"Force Lightning. A move forbidden by the Jedi Order. Force users like ourselves can conjure it through the Dark Side of the Force, and it inflicts severe pain on its opponents. I'm sure you felt it right? When you gallantly threw yourself in front of your two friends," Ahsoka said.

The Jedi Knight _definitely_ felt it.

"I read that Nightsisters have their own variation of this," the Togruta turned her gaze onto Merrin.

Merrin did not say anything at first, instead choosing to send a wave of healing energy into Cal upon seeing his hand clenched over the area where Vader's lightsaber had wounded him.

"Mother Talzin used it during her battle against Count Dooku. She taught me as well but I dare not use it," the Nightsister finally said.

"Is there any way to deflect it?" the Jedi Knight asked of Ahsoka, leaning his head against Merrin's shoulder.

Ahsoka brought her knees up to her chest and hugged them as she took a deep breath in.

"Our lightsabers can deflect it. I also heard from Master Kenobi that a powerful Jedi Master can use Force deflection to return the lightning back at its progenitor, but it takes great effort and only lasts a short while. I think the only Master who has ever done this was Master Yoda when he was fighting Count Dooku during the Clone Wars."

"I'll keep that in mind for next time," Cal coughed into his hand.

The Togruta Jedi unhooked Cal's lightsaber from her belt and held it out to him.

"Thanks," he took his weapon back.

"I surmise you'll be bedridden until the morning. I'll go keep watch outside," Ahsoka got up and disappeared through the door.

* * *

Once Ahsoka was gone from view, Cal exhaled a small breath and gently peeled back the bacta-pads that someone had placed over his wounds.

"I really wish BD was here...I could use one of his stims," the Knight muttered.

_Boop?_

The bipedal droid beeped and hopped into view much to Cal's chagrin and delight.

"Hey buddy, where have you been hiding?"

_Beep-beep-boop-fwee!_

"Really? You must have had a hard time then."

_Beep!_

"I'm sorry bud. You know I care about you right?" Cal held a hand out to the droid.

BD-1 hopped onto his legs and jumped excitedly from leg to leg.

"Now how about you give me a stim for this?"

The small green canister ejected itself from the top of BD's head and Cal caught it with his hand. Merrin took the stim from him and injected it directly into his shoulder, the former sighing in relief as the medicine numbed the pain in his body. Now that he was no longer in as much agony as he was, Cal slowly eased himself back into a lying position until Merrin directed his head onto her lap.

"Thank you Cal, for what you did back there."

Her fingers gently brushed away strands of stray hair away from his face.

"You would have done the same for me."

"Yes. You are right. Traveling with you and the others have expanded my views beyond what I know of Dathomir."

Emerald orbs closed in content for a while as they sat in silence, Merrin's fingers continuously brushing his ginger locks.

"Merrin...I have a crazy idea that just came to me," he said, opening his eyes to look up at her.

"Tell me."

"Maybe we can create a new Order of Jedi...one that uses Nightsister magick and are versed in Jedi combat. I...saw what you did with the lightsaber back there, and I think it's possible for it to work."

The Nightsister became lost in thought as she contemplated what Cal had just said.

"I think it would," she said with a smile.

This time Cal maneuvered himself into a sitting position until his eyes were level with Merrin's. BD-1 recalled Cal's conversation aboard the Mantis and hopped off the Knight's lap, walking over to Trilla and perching himself on her shoulder which earned the droid a smack to the head by the former Inquisitor.

"Merrin...I-"

She silenced him with a finger.

"I know."

The Jedi Knight leaned in ever so slowly and tilted his head to the side, then quickly pressed his lips against hers before pulling away with an embarrassed expression.

"Cal, look at me."

He turned his head around in time to see Merrin sealing her lips over his own.

Both of them became lost in that sweet moment which belonged to them and them alone.

* * *

_To be continued...._

_I promised myself I wouldn't do this but it happened anyways._

_To all the readers asking I make this a Cal/Merrin story, I hope this chapter has satisfied your demands!_

_Also, I've decided to pair Trilla with my OC Entiran (their history with one another will be revealed in later chapters)_

_Until next time!_

_Celsius Fate~_


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A familiar ally finds his way back to Ahsoka and his friends....

Trilla scowled at the bipedal droid when BD-1 climbed on top of her head for the tenth time despite being swatted off previously. The droid was keen on perching itself on top of her head for some reason. More imporantly, why was it here? BD normally hangs around Cal and only goes off scanning when they're in a new environment. With Cal's physical state being compromised, wouldn't it make more sense for the droid to be by its master's side?

If only she could understand Binary like Cal could.

Giving up on making the droid move from her head, Trilla uncrossed her legs and was just about to get up when she heard Entiran stirring beside her on the ground.

"You're not breaking out of those any time soon," Trilla said when Entiran tried breaking the cuffs apart.

"Where am I? Why did you bring me here? Where are the Fifth and Ninth Sisters?!"

"You won't be seeing them for a while. As for why I brought you here, maybe it's because I want to toy with you," Trilla replied casually, one hand patting BD.

"Don't screw with me. You brought me here so I can't report back to the Inquisitorius, which would lead to me being branded a traitor for deserting the ranks," Entiran spat angrily, glaring at her now that his helmet had been broken.

"That's one reason."

Ahsoka Tano chose that moment to come over with a bowl of water to give to Trilla.

"I'll take the first watch, and please do us a favor but not provoking him," the Togruta said before walking off towards the entrance of the base.

The two watched the Togruta walk off before Trilla held out the bowl to Entiran.

"You most likely poisoned it," the human male Inquisitor scoffed.

"Drink it or don't. You can dehydrate yourself for all I care. It just makes it easier for me when I throw your body at the Fortress for all to see," Trilla said, taking a drink of the clear liquid.

"If I wasn't cuffed with these I'd wipe that smirk off your face with one hand!" Entiran threatened.

"You tried and _failed_ many times in the past. Have you forgotten why I was promoted to Second Sister instead of you?"

"Tch," Entiran tried to muster strength to break free of the cuffs, but it felt like his body was tied down with heavy stones.

* * *

The night air felt cool against Ahsoka's skin as the Togruta sat outside the base of the hideout. The other members had gone inside to get some rest, leaving Ahsoka alone with her thoughts as she leaned back against the door-frame. So much had happened within the past few days, but still she was no closer to finding where Ezra had gone. Sabine hadn't called in either, which meant the Mandalorian wasn't having much luck in locating their friend.

A small puff of air formed in front of Ahsoka as she let out a small sigh.

So much has changed from the time she first joined the Order after being found by master Plo-Koon, to becoming disillusioned after being framed for bombing the Jedi Temple back on Coruscant.

Maybe Bariss had been right.

The Jedi were too dogmatic in their views of the world, maybe that's why they were wiped out so easily by the Emperor when he executed Order 66.

Or did Palpatine only do it once he had Anakin in his grasp as Darth Vader?

"Why can't things be simple for once?" she said quietly.

"Something on your mind?"

Cal limped into view from the entrance, gently lowering himself down on the ground to sit beside the Togruta.

"Shouldn't you be inside resting? It's not good for you to walk around in your condition," Ahsoka said with a small frown.

"Merrin's asleep. I didn't want to wake her. Besides, I've slept enough for the day," the Jedi Knight replied.

The two stared out into the night sky in silence for a while.

"Can I ask you something?" Cal broke through the awkward tension between the two.

"Sure. What's wrong?"

"When I uhh...looked into your past, I saw you left the Order. Did something happen that made you do so?"

The question caught Ahsoka off-guard since she rarely had people ask her this.

"I...became disillusioned after the Order framed me for a crime I didn't commit," she finally revealed.

"I see."

Cal wanted to press further but upon sensing the apprehension in Ahsoka's voice, decided it would be best if he didn't pry too much. After all, everyone had their secrets and pasts no one would want to share.

He was no different.

"I left after the High Council acquitted me of the crime, but everything I've been taught just seemed like a lie at that point so I chose not to return."

"I see."

"What about you? I remember you told me you hid on Bracca for five years. Were you planning on remaining that way for the rest of your life?" the Togruta turned her gaze onto Cal as she spoke.

Both of them sensed a disturbance right at that moment and shot to their feet. Ahsoka signaled to Cal to keep quiet as they crouched into a defensive position, their hands hovering just above their lightsabers.

Footsteps approached the entrance from the darkness, growing closer and closer as the two held their breaths. With a nod of her head from the Togruta, both Cal and Ahsoka ignited their weapons and launched themselves at the enemies, only to be met with two blue lightsabers that clearly belonged to Jedi.

"Ahsoka! It's me!" a male voice called out.

Ahsoka froze as she let out a small gasp.

"E-Ezra?" she said in disbelief.

Cal was bewildered when Ahsoka signaled for him to lower his lightsaber.

The shadowy figure emerged from the darkness and onto the illuminated frame of the hideout and Ahsoka's hands flew to her mouth.

"Can someone tell me what's going on?" Cal asked, switching his lightsaber off as he gave a pointed look to the Togruta.

"Is that another Jedi?" the taller male inquired.

The Togruta ran forward and threw her arms around the other male in a tight hug, leaving Cal standing behind in bewilderment as the Jedi Knight observed the duo closely. Recalling how Ahsoka was searching for her friend Ezra the first time they met, and the fact that she just called out his name, the younger one had to be her missing friend.

"Ezra...how did you find your way back?" Ahsoka was speechless.

"A giant loth-wolf whom I named Dume appeared before me, leading me back home to Lothal," Ezra explained, still gripping Ahsoka's hands.

"The others will be so glad to see you!"

Ezra gave Ahsoka another hug and smiled at the Togruta.

"I know."

Noticing the ginger-haired male standing there observing him, Ezra turned his attention towards the latter curiously.

"Who are you? Why do you carry a lightsaber?" he asked suspiciously.

"It's fine Ezra. This is Cal Kestis, a Jedi Knight who survived Order 66 and the Great Purge," Ahsoka explained, stepping in between the two.

"You escaped the Purge just like Kanan did! I never thought I'd meet another Jedi who survived Order 66!"

Cal gave a strained smile of his own.

"Are you a Padawan like I am?" Ezra inquired.

"No. I'm a Knight, but I was a Padawan up until the point where Cere knighted me," Cal explained, rubbing the back of his head with one hand.

"That's cool. Who was your master? Are they still alive by chance?"

"No. My master died protecting me aboard the Venator we were on when Order 66 was given," the ginger-haired Knight said quietly.

Ezra sensed Cal's sadness and reluctance to reveal more so he let the matter drop.

"We need to tell the others! Hera will be so glad to see you're alive!" Ahsoka said, dragging Ezra behind enthusiastically while Cal remained behind on watch.

* * *

Trilla concentration was broken by a flurry of excited movements and whispers as the rebels suddenly rushed to converge in one particular area of the hideout. The Togruta Jedi came into view dragging an unfamiliar person behind enthusiastically, and judging from the boy's appearance, Trilla had a feeling this boy was also a Force-sensitive. Unfolding her legs after making sure Entiran wasn't going anywhere after BD offered to remain behind and shock the latter if he tried anything, she headed over to where everyone was gathered to see what was going on.

"Ezra! I can't believe you're alive!" she heard one of the female rebels exclaim happily.

"I thought I'd never see you again!" another male rebel cried.

"Who's the new guy?" Trilla asked, cutting through everyone's celebratory mood.

All eyes turned on her at that moment, but Trilla remained unfazed as she crossed her arms to stare at the new person.

"I can sense you're a Force-sensitive. Who are you?" she repeated again.

Ahsoka narrowed her eyes slightly and stepped in front of the male.

"His name is Ezra Bridgers, Padawan of the late Kanan Jarrus."

Instead of responding to that, Trilla ignited her lightsaber then threw herself at an unsuspecting Ezra. The latter twisted out of the way just in time but Trilla swung her body around to strike his abdomen. Ezra's own lightsaber parried the blow, and he even managed to force Trilla back until Ahsoka stepped between the two with her dual lightsabers activated to block their blades.

"What's going on?!" Ahsoka hissed, glaring at Trilla.

"Looks like he can hold his own," Trilla merely said, relaxing her stance and switching off her lightsaber.

Everyone in the room was stunned.

Without another word to anyone else, she turned around and went back to the room given to her by Hera and shut the door behind.

* * *

BD-1 looked up at Trilla when the door slid open, the bipedal droid quickly hopping off a paralyzed Entiran and out the door before it could close behind. Trilla had an inkling of what happened when she was outside. No doubt Entiran tried to break free of his bonds and the droid shocked him into submission.

She'll have to tell Cal to thank BD later.

"I did warn you he packs a punch," she said, sitting back down on the bed and folding her legs.

Entiran merely glared at her.

Trilla smirked in response and closed her eyes again.

* * *

Disoriented by the sudden influx of noise coming from the outside, Merrin opened her eyes blearily, blinking several times before her vision focused itself. Noticing the space beside her was empty, the Nightsister opened the door and stuck her head outside. There was a group of people converging in one corner of the base, with everyone talking excitedly among themselves. Not wanting to intrude on whatever it was they were celebrating, Merrin slowly walked along, using the wall for guidance until Ahsoka caught her eye. The Togruta indicated towards the entrance of the hideout with a small incline of her head. Giving a small smile to the latter in response, Merrin headed towards the entrance and stepped outside to find Cal leaning heavily against the doorframe, a hand pressed against the wound from Vader as blood slowly trickled down his lips.

"Cal!"

She rushed over and immediately began casting a healing spell on his body.

"Hey Merrin..." Cal groaned in response, then coughed several times.

"What happened?" the Nightsister held her hand over Cal's own and focused on sending the healing waves into the wound.

"Vader..." the ginger-haired Knight sighed in relief when the pain began to fade.

"Was he in your mind again?"

Cal merely nodded his head in response to her question.

Once the pain was entirely gone from his body, Cal slowly rolled up his shirt to reveal the lightsaber wound from Vader's attack. Merrin's fingers hovered over the site and she quickly retracted them.

"The cold has gotten stronger..." she whispered.

"His grip is growing...Merrin...I need you to help me fight it," Cal gripped her hands.

"When you are fully recovered, we will continue with your training of the dark side," Merrin promised.

"I'm glad I met you on Dathomir."

The two of them shared another fleeting kiss just as Ahsoka came out with Ezra to take over the watch again.

* * *

_To be continued...._

_Ezra's back baby!_

_I did think about bringing Kanan back as well, but it just felt kinda weird so I didn't in the end lol._

_Hope everyone had a happy new year!_

_See you next time!_

_Celsius Fate~_


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cal has a run-in with Starkiller which ultimately leads to Merrin being caught in the crossfire....

It took a full two days of rest for Cal to recover completely from the battle with Entiran. By that time, Trilla was successful in breaking down the first barrier the Sixth Brother had put up around his mind. It seemed their time alone in the room proved more beneficial to the former Inquisitor than it did her companion. Cal was curious but at the same time, didn't really want to know exactly what Trilla did.

With the threat of the Inquisitors gone from Lothal, it was easy for the remaining rebel forces to push back the Stormtroopers from the slums and influential areas of the planet. Cal and the Mantis crew remained to help Hera and her rebels establish a firmer foothold on Lothal. Ezra was eager to help as well, giving the ginger-haired Knight a good glance at the latter's prowess.

"Thanks for everything. We really appreciate it," Hera said once their supplies had been distributed.

"We were glad to help in any way possible. I just hope the Empire will think twice before trying to launch another assault like this on Lothal again," Cal replied as the rebels clapped and gave them warm smiles.

"The Empire will never stop until they have the entire galaxy under its rule," Entiran hissed from beside Trilla.

Trilla gave a harsh yank on the chain leading to his cuffs, sending the Inquisitor sprawling on the ground for everyone to laugh at.

Cal frowned slightly at Trilla's actions while everyone was laughing.

Then he felt the familiar pull of Vader on his mind and immediately gripped Merrin's arm.

_**You may think you've won this Cal Kestis, but that was only the beginning. Let's see how you fare against my personal apprentice** **Starkiller** **.** _

The telltale sign of a TIE Fighter approaching overhead was enough warning for the Knight as he shouted for everyone to take cover.

No sooner did he say this that the sky began raining with plasma bolts fired from the Fighter. Those who didn't make it to cover in time were blasted into the air, their bodies falling with a thud against the ground and going limp.

"What's going on!?" Hera demanded, firing off shots from her blaster at the aircraft.

"It's Starkiller!" Cal shouted.

* * *

So these were the ones who managed to take out the three Inquisitors sent by Vader?

They hardly looked capable of anything, much less fighting off three of the Inquisitorious at the same time.

No wonder Vader sent him here to clean up the mess.

Despite the encounter with the Kaminoans shaking his beliefs slightly, he was still a part of the Empire. That meant he was to obey his orders without question, and his current objective was to stem the flow of rebels, and take the Jedi known as Cal Kestis back to Nur so Vader can turn him into an Inquisitor.

Flying over the area where the rebels were gathered, Starkiller fired off at the group below, watching as bodies were sent flying into the air when they didn't make it to cover in time.

Perhaps this would be easier than he thought.

* * *

"We need to do something about that Fighter!" Ahsoka shouted, deflecting stray plasma bolts with her lightsabers.

Lifting a hand in the air, Cal focused all his concentration and curled his fingers inwards, using the Force to pull the Fighter towards him. The strain was evident on his face as he fought for control. The pilot was desperately trying his best to pull free from Cal's Force grip, and the ginger-haired Knight could feel his grasp slipping. It wasn't until Ahsoka lent her aid to Cal's pull did the two Jedi manage to bring the Fighter down.

"Those who aren't injured help the others flee! This is not an opponent you can take on!" Ahsoka ordered, having sensed the powerful presence behind the TIE.

Ezra ran up beside the two with his own lightsaber in hand, and that was when Cal noticed it had been crudely fashioned out of the end of a blaster.

Who was he to judge though?

"Be on your guard. This person is not like the Inquisitors we have faced so far. One wrong move and it'll be over for all of us," the Togruta warned, igniting her lightsabers as the red glow of the enemy's began searing apart the pilot window.

"Who is this guy?" Ezra breathed, gripping the hilt of his lightsaber tightly.

"Starkiller, Darth Vader's personal apprentice," Cal answered.

Ahsoka stiffened slightly beside him when she heard this person was her former master's personal apprentice as a Sith Lord.

"Incoming!"

The shadowy figure of Starkiller leaped into the air to land between the trio. Ezra blocked the first blow with his lightsaber, but his time wandering in the void took its toll on his body and he was easily knocked aside with a Force push.

"Don't worry about me," Ezra groaned from somewhere behind a pile of rubble.

Cal was targeted next as Starkiller launched himself at his opponent.

"I have orders to bring you back," Starkiller revealed, pressing down on the hilt of his saber.

The ginger-haired Knight struggled under the weight of the attack, desperately pushing back to prevent the lightsaber from searing his flesh.

"I have no intentions of going back with the likes of you," he retorted, kicking Starkiller in the abdomen to draw some space between him and his opponent.

Ahsoka followed with a flurry of strikes against her former master's apprentice, feeling as if there was a personal vendetta driving her to fight Starkiller. The latter was more skilled than he appeared, easily blocking all of the Togruta's strikes. Cal and Ezra searched for signs of openings to attack, but it seemed the two were locked in a long battle with one another.

Ezra made to join the fight but Cal held him back with one hand.

"Don't. You'll only be a burden to her," he said with a shake of his head.

"We can't just let her handle him all alone!" the latter protested.

Searching for a way to help the Togruta, Cal noticed a bunch of materials left behind by the rebels in their rebuilding efforts. If they could distract Starkiller and lead him over towards it, perhaps they stood a chance by tying him down briefly.

"Push him towards those," Cal indicated towards the discarded ropes on the ground.

"You got it."

The two of them joined the fight from the left and right sides, guarding Ahsoka's flanks as the Togruta managed to draw some space between herself and Starkiller.

"We need to distract him long enough to run," the ginger-haired Knight said.

"Those ropes won't hold him for long though," Ahsoka said, having overheard what the two were discussing.

Recalling what Merrin had said about tapping into the dark side, Cal took several deep breaths and prepared himself mentally.

"I'll handle it once he's distracted," he said.

The trio launched themselves with renewed vigor at Starkiller, but even when he was pinned on all sides by the three, he was able to hold his own. Darth Vader must have trained him rigorously if he could handle three Jedi at the same time with ease. Cal activated the other end of his lightsaber and split it apart, whirling around while Ahsoka did the same, both slamming their weapons into their enemy's unguarded sides.

Starkiller blocked his left flank with his saber and used the Force to prevent Ahsoka's sabers from making contact with his right. Ezra attacked from the front with his lightsaber, forcing Starkiller to break off the parry to evade. The trio aimed a kick each at his abdomen, sending him flying backwards into the pile of trash like they expected. Ahsoka quickly used the Force to tie the rope around Starkiller's body, leaving him struggling to break free.

"It won't hold for long," the Togruta said again, concentrating intently as her fingers curled on themselves.

"Go. I'll handle this," Cal said.

"But-"

"Go! I'll be fine, I promise!"

Giving the ginger-haired Knight a final look, Ahsoka grabbed Ezra's hand and ran towards the entrance of the base to help the others evacuate.

* * *

With the other two gone, Cal turned his attention back to the struggling dark Jedi on the ground. After seeing the past of Starkiller back on Kamino, a part of Cal wanted to see if he could somehow be redeemed.

"I know who you are," he said, slowly approaching the latter.

"You know nothing of who I am," Starkiller bit back.

"I saw your past...and I know...you're just a-"

Starkiller broke free of his bonds before Cal could finish speaking and quickly lashed out with his weapons. The former barely managed to block the blows in time as Starkiller attacked him mercilessly. All Cal could do was take on a defensive stance, protecting himself against the latter's frenzied attacks.

"I know you're not truly evil! There's still good in you!" Cal said desperately, his knees buckling from one of Starkiller's attacks.

Having heard enough of Cal's pleas, Starkiller leaped backwards and unleashed a barrage of Force Lightning towards him. Recalling Ahsoka's words about how his lightsaber could block the attack, he lifted up his weapon and watched as the lightning was absorbed into his lightsaber.

"Please just-"

"Enough!"

Using the Force to yank Cal's lightsaber free from his grip, Starkiller released another wave of Force Lightning.

Cal wasn't willing to get hit by another Force Lightning attack after what he experienced last time. Drawing on the Force from within his body, Cal reached out and narrowed his eyes in concentration.

' _Do not be afraid of the Dark Side of the Force_ ,' Merrin's voice echoed within his head.

Exhaling quietly in meditation, Cal felt power well up in his fingertips and pushed out, a barrage of Force Lightning erupting to meet Starkiller's halfway.

The latter was clearly stunned by what he just witnessed.

Calling his weapon back to his hand, Cal ignited his lightsaber and leaped towards Starkiller, this time successfully knocking the latter out with a hard blow to his solar plexus.

With the adrenaline gone from his body, Cal's legs gave out from beneath as he fell on his knees.

"Cal!"

Merrin rushed towards him from the base after the others were safely evacuated.

Neither failed to notice a shadow hiding in the alcove above with a blaster in hand. A single plasma bolt was fired, piercing Merrin right above the heart as her body fell to the ground motionlessly.

"Merrin!"

* * *

_To be continued..._

_I'm back and I'm still alive despite the coronavirus situation that's going on here._

_See you all next time!_

_Celsius Fate~_


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A unexpected offer from Starkiller tempts Cal to the Dark Side of the Force....

"Merrin! Merrin!"

Cal's eyes locked onto the alcove where the shot had fired from and with an anguished cry, yanked with the Force and the mysterious assailant was revealed to be a member of the Haxion Brood. Anger and rage clouded Cal's rational mind as his fingers switched to a choke hold. The bounty hunter scrambled and clutched desperately at her neck as gagging noises escaped her helmet. Curling his fingers even closer as he choked the life out of the hunter, Cal only released his hold once she was limply hanging in the air.

"Merrin!"

He ran over to where Merrin was and gently pulled her onto his lap.

Her breathing was faint and the edges of her lips were starting to take on a purplish hue.

"Hang on!" Cal hovered a hand over the wound and focused, concentrating intently on using the Force to heal her.

Merrin coughed as her eyes fluttered open weakly.

"Cal..."

"Don't talk," he said, eyebrows furrowing in concentration.

It seemed no matter how hard he tried to guide the poison out, it refused to listen and remained within Merrin's body.

"Calm...your...mind..." Merrin said in between breaths, sensing the rage inside him.

"No! I have to! I have to save you!"

"Whatever...is inside...is powerful...you...can't...extract this...not by yourself."

With a frustrated cry Cal picked up Merrin in his arms and started running for the base when Starkiller's voice stopped him.

"If you want to save her, I can help with that."

Those words prompted Cal to face Starkiller as the latter recovered from the blow to steadily getting back on his feet.

"I don't have time for this!" Cal spat, turning to begin heading for the base.

"Haxion Brood utilizes poison that combines different poisonous aspects of various creatures found throughout the galaxy to ensure not one antidote will cure them all. Now, unless this place has someone with the proper equipment to...identify which poison runs through her body, you'll need the help of the Empire if you want to fully cure her."

Merrin's labored breathing as Cal watched on was torturous to the Jedi Knight. A part of him wanted to run back inside the base and ask Ahsoka for aid, while the other part urged him to listen to Starkiller's words and seek out the Empire for help.

If he did, wouldn't he be playing right into Darth Vader's hands?

"Cal...it hurts..." Merrin's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

The Jedi Knight looked down at the Nightsister to find dark veins slowly spreading throughout her entire body.

"If I go back with you, that's exactly what your Master wants," Cal said.

"Don't you want power to protect the one you love? If you became a member of the Empire, the Haxion Brood will no longer be a threat to you or your lover ever again," Starkiller calmly said, picking up his discarded lightsaber with the Force.

The clone had a point.

If he joined the Empire, the Haxion Brood would never dare come after him.

Merrin would never have to be put in dangerous situations such as this.

And the crew-

The crew will never forgive him for this ultimate betrayal.

A squeeze from Merrin's hand was enough for Cal to come to a decision.

"Very well. Take me to the Empire," he said, following after Starkiller.

* * *

When Trilla heard the commotion from outside and Ahsoka's face peering from the door telling her to evacuate the base, she had a feeling she knew what was going on. She sensed a strong presence through the Force, the energy signature matching that of Starkiller from back on Kamino. Which meant Darth Vader must have sent his personal apprentice to either slaughter everyone, or crush the rebel force as a sign to everyone else on Lothal to never stand up to the Empire.

"We're leaving," she said, yanking on Entiran's chains as the two swiftly departed the base with the rest of the fleeing rebels.

They followed the rebels to another base further away from where they had been hiding, this one located near a large body of water. Hera stood outside the entrance, ushering everyone in and making sure no one had been left behind.

"Are you going to stay with us?" the Twi'lek asked when she spotted Trilla.

"No. It's time we returned to the Mantis to let the others know what happened."

"What about that other friend of yours? I don't see him anywhere," Hera peered over Trilla's shoulder as she spoke.

That's when Ahsoka and Ezra walked into view after escorting the last of the rebels.

"I didn't see him coming back from the other base," Ezra was saying as a worried Ahsoka listened.

"Did you go check?" the Togruta inquired.

"I did! He and Starkiller were both gone!"

"What's going on?" Hera interrupted the conversation.

Ezra coughed several times into his hand until Ahsoka nudged him in the ribs.

"Your friend is missing. I...I think he might have been captured by Starkiller," he said to a shocked Trilla.

* * *

Even with Starkiller's personal ship going into hyper-speed for the journey to Nur, Cal couldn't help but feel anxious the entire way there. Thankfully there were no Stormtroopers aboard the ship, so he was able to be with Merrin in relative peace. The Nightsister was laid out on a bed, hooked up to a bunch of instruments that Cal had knowledge of. The only thing that concerned him at first was one of the lines that was injecting Merrin with a stabilizer of sorts. Starkiller told him it was the only thing that kept her from being one with the Force permanently.

"I'm so sorry Merrin...if only...I realized sooner," Cal whispered, squeezing Merrin's hand as he apologized repeatedly.

"Cal..." Merrin's eyes opened weakly and the corner of her lips tried to tilt upward into a comforting smile.

"Save your strength," Cal said, resting a hand on her forehead.

Merrin slowly moved her head from side to side, her foggy mind trying to process where they were at the moment.

"This...isn't...the Mantis..." she finally said.

"No. It's not," the Jedi Knight replied, turning his face away to avoid looking at her.

"Where...are...we-"

Cal cut her off with a finger to her lips followed by a smile.

"Don't worry about it. I'll make sure you're cured of this poison," he said.

Exhaustion overtook Merrin as she closed her eyes to slip back into slumber. Cal gently stroked her hair for a while, then got up and went to the front where Starkiller was piloting the ship.

"Why are you doing this?" Cal asked, leaning against the smooth surface of the wall.

"What you said back there wasn't completely wrong. I have dreams of a woman with white hair from time to time...I don't know who she is, but I feel a sense of peace and security whenever I dream of her."

Cal resisted the urge to tell Starkiller what he had witnessed in the Force Echo back on Kamino. What would happen if the clone discovered his original self had been killed by Darth Vader in front of the Emperor?

"Here I thought Darth Vader trained you to be the perfect assassin without emotions," Cal said, quietly studying Starkiller's body language.

The latter's hands tightened ever so slightly on the steering.

"We're here," Starkiller said, exiting out of hyper-space to the giant planet of Nur coming into view from the distance.

The Jedi Knight winced and held a hand against his head upon feeling Darth Vader's pull. The Sith was on the planet and waiting for his arrival, no doubt having been informed beforehand by his apprentice.

* * *

Cere was starting to go frantic with worry when she hadn't heard from either Trilla or Cal over an extended period of time. She was just about to leave the ship and search for the two when Trilla walked up the ramp with a stranger being led by chains. Immediately Cere became defensive upon recognizing the regalia worn by Imperial Inquisitors.

"Trilla, get away from him," Cere ordered.

"It's fine. He's my prisoner," Trilla said, pushing the male over towards the sofa.

Greez was equally perplexed as he shared a look with his captain.

"Don't look at me," the Lateron said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"What's going on here?"

"We have a more important matter to focus on. Cal and Merrin might have been captured by Starkiller," Trilla looked at her master with a serious expression.

That bit of information was enough to mobilize Greez into taking off from Lothal while Cere sat down beside her Padawan.

"Trilla, what happened on Lothal? Tell me everything."

* * *

Darth Vader certainly rolled out the welcome wagon when Starkiller's personal ship landed in one of the hangars. The Sith Lord was there to greet his apprentice, flanked by several Inquisitorius troops and two of the Emperor's personal Stormtroopers clad in their red armor. Cal cradled Merrin against his chest as he followed Starkiller down the ramp of the ship. Her breathing wasn't as labored thanks to the stabilizer but the black veins were still a worrying factor.

"Master," Starkiller knelt on one knee before Vader.

"You have done well my apprentice," Darth Vader replied, every word accompanied by mechanical breathing behind his helmet.

Starkiller rose back up and walked past the group to disappear inside after giving a nod of his head.

"Cal Kestis, my apprentice has informed me of what happened. You wish to save that Nightsister do you not?" Darth Vader inquired.

"Trust me, if there was any other choice, you'd be the _last_ one I'd ever ask for help," the Jedi Knight bit back bitterly.

"We can save her under one condition," the Sith Lord revealed.

Cal laughed out loud at this.

He had a feeling he knew what the Sith Lord wanted.

"I am _not_ becoming your apprentice if that's what you were hoping for," Cal said defiantly.

Now it was Darth Vader's turn to laugh.

"The Rule of Two forbids me from taking on another apprentice, not while Starkiller is alive. No. You will join the Inquisitorius as the First Brother and lead the others in searching for signs of traitorous Jedi. If you do this, we will save the Nightsister. Think wisely Cal Kestis, she does not have long left from what I can see."

The Jedi Knight contemplated Vader's words.

If he became an Inquisitor, he could perhaps warn or save renegade Jedi like Ahsoka and Ezra.

With the future of the Force-sensitive children safeguarded with the holocron gone, this was the next best thing Cal could do.

But that meant the others aboard the Mantis will learn of this sooner or later.

Merrin's life was the most important at that point and Cal strengthened his resolve.

"Save her life and I will join the Inquisitorius," he said.

Darth Vader waved a hand and several Stormtroopers came out with a stretcher carried between them. Cal gently lowered Merrin on it and watched as they took her inside the Fortress.

"Excellent. Follow me," Darth Vader turned with a flourish, his cape billowing out behind like a curtain.

The Jedi Knight followed silently behind.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review?_

_Oh boy, Cal has joined the Inquisitorius!_

_What's going to happen now?_

_His descent to the Dark Side has begun at last..._

_How will the others react when they find out?_

_See you all next time!_

_Celsius Fate~_


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having promised to join the Inquistorius in exchange for saving Merrin's life, Cal finds himself in a precarious situation on his first assignment back to Bracca...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jayna Shan belongs to Torytigress92, author of Episode I: The Path Forward 
> 
> Thanks for letting me use Jayna for a few chapters! 
> 
> Go and check out her story! It's awesomely written!

The sounds of machines steadily beeping roused Merrin from her slumber. Bright lights assaulted her irises the moment her eyes opened, the sudden illuminaation prompted her to quickly squeeze her eyes shut. After several minutes to calm herself, the Nightsister gingerly cracked her lids back apart to find herself in an unfamiliar room.

Turning her head towards the right, she noticed a bunch of machines had been hooked up to her body.

Slowly sitting up, Merrin realized there were two Stormtroopers stationed near the door, and immediately her sense of awareness was heightened tenfold.

The door opened and someone clad in the robes of a Inquisitor entered. With a wave of their hand, the Inquisitor dismissed the Stormtroopers, leaving the two of them alone in the room.

"Who are you?!" Merrin demanded.

"It's me Merrin."

That voice.

"Cal?..." her voice became a whisper of disbelief.

Cal removed his helmet and hurried over to her side.

"How are you feeling?"

"I-I don't understand...why are you dressed like that?...Cal, what happened back on Lothal? Tell me!" she implored, gripping his hands tightly.

A sigh escaped Cal's lips as he looked away briefly.

She squeezed his hands again for emphasis.

"We're on Nur. The only way Vader would save you was to agree to join the Inquisitorius. Listen to me first! I'm not going to become like them, I only agreed so this could give us a chance to seek out any surviving Jedi and warn them."

Merrin's gaze locked onto Cal's for a long time, neither unwavering until the Nightsister exhaled a soft breath.

"You can't fool Vader. What if he finds out what you're truly up to?"

"Which is why I need your help. I want you to help me clear my mind and prevent Vader from invading my thoughts like he normally does," Cal said, taking her hands in his.

The Nightsister lowered her gaze as she contemplated what he had just said. None of this sat right with her, and she especially didn't want to see Cal becoming an Inquisitor just to save her.

"Cal, is it too late for us to make a run for it? Call the Mantis somehow and have Cere pick us up?"

"We're surrounded by Stormtroopers and the rest of the Inquisitorius, there's no way we can sneak our way out of here without being caught. If we call Cere and the others to come pick us up, we're only sending them to their deaths. Trust me please Merrin, I promise I'll find a way to get us out of here before it's too late."

Merrin sighed in defeat, her eyes flicking back down towards the machines currently hooked into her arms.

"Close your eyes then," she reluctantly said.

Before he did, Cal unclipped his lightsaber and pressed it into her hands.

"Keep it safe for me. Until the day I can use it again, for now I have to use the one given by Vader."

* * *

-Bracca-

"Jayna! Hey Jayna!"

The voice of her best friend Kit broke Jayna out of her work stupor as she lowered the coverings from her ears. Kit nudged her again and indicated towards the warden who wanted to speak with them. Pocketing her tools to head over with her friend, the two listened as the warden explained they were to be searched later on by the Empire.

"We just had one last month. I thought they only do searches every two months or something," Kit said, frustration evident on his face.

"Orders are orders," the warden replied.

"Come on Kit, it's just routine like usual. They don't find anything worth noting anyways," Jayna soothed, giving her friend a pat on the shoulder.

Kit rolled his eyes and went back to the rig he was working on.

Jayna followed suit and the two struck up a conversation as they worked side by side.

"So did you hear about one of the scrappers who was wanted by the Empire?" Kit asked, taking a piece of metal off and tossing it into the designated pile.

"Who?" Jayna shrugged her shoulders.

"Oh right, you came here after it happened. Well apparently there was a scrapper who turned out to be a Jedi hiding among us for five years, just working and not causing much trouble. Honestly, I think he would've kept his profile low if he didn't try to save his friend."

"A Jedi huh?" Jayna gave a small nervous chuckle.

She had heard of the Jedi.

A mysterious group of peace keepers who kept order throughout the Empire during the golden age, before Palpatine became Emperor and formed the Galactic Empire. Then he ordered the execution of the entire Jedi Order for betraying the galaxy.

Or at least that's what everyone was told.

A part of Jayna did as well.

"Yea but no one's heard anything since he managed to escape the Inquisitorius. Some say he died, but I personally believe he's still alive somewhere."

"Don't let the others hear you talking about this Kit," Jayna warned, frowning at her friend, not that he could see through the filter mask she was wearing.

"Come on, the Probe Droids only send video footage, they don't record our conversations."

Jayna sighed in defeat.

One of these days her friend's mouth was gonna get him into trouble.

* * *

After Merrin reinforced the mental barrier around his mind to prevent Vader from penetrating and inconvenient times, Cal went back to report to the Sith Lord and was surprised to find another Inquisitor waiting at the meeting room. This Inquisitor was unknown to Cal, probably assigned to be his partner on his first ever "mission" to prove himself loyal to the Empire.

The only thing Cal was thankful for was not being subjected to the...torture chair or whatever it was he saw in Trilla's vision back on Bogano.

It seemed Vader has seen the darkness inside his heart on multiple occasions already.

Or at least that's what Cal hoped.

"Cal Kestis, I must congratulate you on becoming the First Brother. Those robes do indeed befit someone of your status," Vader complimented.

"Thank you, Lord Vader," Cal forced himself to say.

' _You're doing this for Merrin and the fate of all the other Jedi out there. Don't slip up now Cal!_ '

"Your first assignment is to accompany the newly promoted Third Sister to Bracca. It is time for their monthly inspection. As this is your first mission, you will simply observe what the Third Sister does. In the future, _you_ will be the one to carry out these inspections as the First Brother."

"Yes Lord Vader," Cal replied, slightly inclining his head.

"Dismissed."

The two of them walked out of the room and immediately the Third Sister tried to threaten him.

"Don't think you can do anything just because you are the First Brother," she hissed.

Cal reached out through the Force and placed her in a choke-hold, slowly lifting her up from the floor.

" _Don't_ threaten me or you won't live to see tomorrow," Cal retorted angrily, tightening his fingers for emphasis.

The Third Sister clawed desperate at her neck to pry away the invisible tendrils cutting off her air supply.

Making sure she understood his words, Cal released his hold and the Third Sister fell to the ground, desperately gasping in air into her deprived lungs.

* * *

Once their shift was finished for the day, Jayna and Kit stood in line to get on one of the transport trains that would bring them back to the dorms, but first everyone was directed towards the gathering hall for the inspection. Jayna shuffled quietly into place beside her friend, and everyone formed a straight line, shoulder touching shoulder as they awaited the arrival of the Inquisitors who normally oversaw the inspections.

Heavy footsteps echoed loudly in the hall, signaling the arrival of the Inquistorius as two Inquisitors walked into view, flanked on either side by Stormtroopers.

"Is this everyone?" a feminine voice asked, turning to her Stormtrooper commander.

"Yes, Third Sister."

"Get to it then," Jayna heard the Third Sister say.

The Stormtroopers went down the line and inspected everyone, asking them to turn out their pockets and inspected their tool bags. Jayna took the chance to study the two Inquisitors while she waited. Judging from their height and physique, the other Inquisitor had to be male. Both wore the distinct uniforms of the Empire's Inquisitorius squad, but the male member's robes were slightly more elaborate than that of his companion. Helmets shielded their faces from view, preventing her from getting a good view of their expressions.

Suddenly the male Inquisitor looked directly at her and a chill slithered up her spine as Jayna stared back.

Then he quietly leaned in and spoke to the Third Sister.

Jayna had no idea what he said because the next moment, two Stormtroopers seized either side of her arms, hauling her up front to the two Inquisitors.

"Let me go!" she protested, yanking her arms free from their grip.

"What is your name?" the Third Sister asked sharply.

"Jayna Shan, I work as a scrapper."

"Jayna...such a pretty name, shame we won't hear it for much longer."

"If I may respectfully ask of you Third Sister, has Jayna done something wrong?" the warden asked nervously.

One of the Stormtroopers took Jayna's bag from around her back and handed it over to the male Inquisitor. Jayna watched anxiously as he removed a glove to touch her bag, only to retract it after mere moments."

"Is it true?" the Third Sister inquired of her companion.

"Yes. I saw it through the Echo, she is a Force-sensitive."

Gasps were heard all around the room as Jayna herself blinked in shock at this.

She is Force-sensitive?

No.

There's no possible way she could be.

There had to be some sort of mistake!

"Take her back to the ship. The rest of you are free to go," the Third Sister ordered.

Again her arms were gripped as the Stormtroopers began leading her away.

"Jayna!"

"Kit no!"

Her best friend lunged out towards the nearest Stormtrooper and attempted to wrestle the blaster rifle away from him.

"Kit!"

* * *

_To be continued...._

_Thanks for reading!_

_See you all next time!_

_Celsius Fate~_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, Jayna Shan belongs to Torytigress92
> 
> Also, I didn't write Cal being tortured in the chair....thing because I'm not a fan of writing torture scenes lol, so for my sanity's sake, he'll join the Inquisitors without being tortured, but Vader's influence will slowly start to corrupt him despite his best efforts at repelling the Sith's influence from his mind.


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cal regrets exposing Jayna as a Force-sensitive and starts to come up with a plan to free her from the Empire's grasp....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to Torytigress92 for letting me use Jayna!

"Kit!"

Jayna struggled and thrashed violently against the Stormtroopers holding her hostage, but their grip was firmly grasped around her wrists. Everyone scrambled for cover the moment Kit began wrestling with one of the Stormtroopers for control of the blaster. Unwilling to watch her friend throw his life away like this, Jayna took a deep breath and twisted one of her hands free, then grabbed a fallen blaster from the ground and aimed a blast at the Stormtrooper trying to strangle her friend.

" _Enough_!" The Third Sister said angrily.

Both Kit and Jayna felt their bodies freeze up as the Inquisitor used the Force to put them in a bind. Their legs dangled in the air helplessly as they were levitated towards the Third Sister and her companion.

"I commend you for putting on such an... _amusing_ show but you never should have done what you did," the Third Sister said, igniting her lightsaber as she spoke.

"No! Don't!" Jayna pleaded, tears streaming down her face as the Inquisitor advanced towards her friend.

Kit lifted his head and met the Third Sister's gaze defiantly, eliciting a chuckle from the Inquisitor in response. She casually ran a finger down the length of his cheek, reveling in the taste of his fear evident through the slightly trembling gaze in his eyes.

"You certainly are a brave one. The Inquisitorius could have used you, training or not. Such a shame to waste a talent like yourself."

"I _will_ never join the Empire and become a lap dog who bends to the Emperor's every whim and will like you!" Kit hissed angrily.

"Such defiance. I wonder...what would you do if I cut off one of your friend's arm or leg..." the Third Sister held the blade of her lightsaber very closely against Jayna's body as she spoke.

"Leave her out of this! I'm the one who tried to take the blaster! You leave her alone!" Kit screamed at the Inquisitor.

The Third Sister made a curling motion with her hand and Kit's voice became strangled, his fingers desperately clawed at his neck in an attempt to suck in air to his deprived lungs. Jayna flinched as the lightsaber passed precariously close to her face to the other side of her body. She could hear the humming of the blade, the red glow of the weapon reflecting off the Third Sister's helmet.

"This little game ends here," the Third Sister said.

Then she nonchalantly stabbed Kit with her lightsaber and Jayna screamed his name in horror, watching as the light in his eyes faded to nothing.

"You monster!" she screamed, kicking her legs as the Third Sister clipped her weapon back on her belt.

The Third Sister released the hold on Jayna's body and she immediately hauled herself over to Kit's lifeless body and cradled his head on her lap.

"Take her back to the ship."

* * *

Cere had Greez take them to Nur upon hearing that Cal and Merrin may have been taken captive by Starkiller to the Inquisitorius base. If they were indeed being held prisoner on the planet, they'll need to come up with a plan to break them out before it was too late. Trilla offered herself as bait to enter the fortress, but Cere shut down that idea at once.

'No. You've just broken free of the shackles that held you down. I don't want to risk any influence tempting you back on that path," Cere said.

Trilla clenched her hands in frustration and turned her gaze to Entiran, the latter having been confined to a corner of the kitchen after being bound in ropes and his lightsaber confiscated.

"No," Entiran said upon catching sight of Trilla looking at him.

"Can't you put whatever happened behind us?" Trilla asked wearily, sitting down beside him.

"Trilla...were you two involved?" Cere inquired with a raised eyebrow.

Entiran cleared his throat uncomfortably while Trilla averted her gaze to the floor, having found a sudden fascination in the metal grating of the Mantis. Cere rubbed her face with one hand and exhaled a soft breath. Who knew her Padawan would have gone and formed an attachment. Then again, should she be so surprised after what the Empire had done? Perhaps this had been Trilla's way of coping with her new reality when she became an Inquisitor.

"How long?" she finally asked.

"When we were Inquisitors...until certain circumstances forced us to break it off," Trilla revealed.

"Is that why your friend holds a grudge against you?"

"He thinks I stole the Second Brother spot from him. It's not my fault I was promoted ahead of him!"

The latter rolled his eyes at Trilla's comment.

"Everyone knew I was the favorite in line to become the Second Brother, until the Grand Inquisitor decided to make _you_ the Second Sister. I just can't believe even Lord Vader approved of it," Entiran muttered loud enough for the other two to hear.

Cere held a hand up to silence the two before a full-blown argument could erupt.

"Stop. What we need to do is come up with a plan. If your 'friend' isn't going to help, we'll come up with something on our own."

* * *

Cal immediately headed for Merrin's room the moment he returned from Bracca. The Third Sister had ordered the Stormtroopers to bring Jayna to one of the torture chambers, and told him to meet her there later so he could experience what they did to potential Force-sensitives and captured Jedi alike. Knowing it was going to be an unpleasant moment to witness, Cal decided to push those thoughts out of his head for the time being.

Merrin looked a lot better than she did when the Haxion Brood bounty hunter first shot her with the poisoned dart.

"Cal! Please tell me you have a plan to get us out of here," Merrin whispered as he went over to her.

"I need more time. I need to earn their trust first, only then can I get access to a ship of my own. Merrin, I'm going to need your help with something else."

The Nightsister gently squeezed his hands.

"What is it?"

"I...was sent back to Bracca...and while I was there...I..."

Cal's hands began to tremble at this point as his head lowered. Merrin sensed the distraught within his heart and sent a wave of soothing energy to calm him down. Cal took several breaths to steady himself, then squeezed her hands in his.

"I may have condemned a Force-sensitive to the torture chair..." he admitted softly.

Merrin furrowed her brows together in confusion.

"Cal, you're not making sense. What exactly happened?"

"There's a girl here who's going to be tortured into becoming an Inquisitor because of me! I revealed to the Third Sister she is Force-sensitive!"

That made more sense as the Nightsister patted at the empty space beside her on the bed.

"You plan on saving her aren't you?" Merrin inquired, brushing strands of hair away from his face.

"I have to. I'll never forgive myself if I didn't. It's my fault she's in this predicament...why didn't I just keep quiet back on Bracca!"

"Was there a reason you did what you did?"

The Jedi Knight sighed and tried to recall _why_ he revealed Jayna being a Force-sensitive.

"I...don't know," he admitted in defeat.

"Do not worry. Maybe the Force guided you to her, perhaps she will help play a role in restoring balance to the galaxy."

A Stormtrooper interrupted by knocking on the door to the room and signaling for Cal to join him.

"I'll come back later," Cal said, getting up to go join before suspicions could be aroused.

* * *

Jayna groaned and opened her eyes only to find herself immobile. Glancing down groggily at her hands and legs, she saw metal straps secured tightly around her wrists and ankles, preventing her from moving. Standing on either side of her were two Stormtroopers facing outwards. Jayna didn't get much time to ponder what was going on because the door opened at that point to reveal the Third Sister and her companion walking in.

"Look who's woken up," the Inquisitor taunted, stopping in front of her with arms crossed.

"Where am I? What are you going to do to me?" Jayna demanded, pulling against the restraints as the metal bit into her skin.

"You are a Force-sensitive, something the Empire can use. Training aside, all we need to do right now is instill loyalty to the Empire within you first...the rest can come later."

The Third Sister gave a nod to one of the Stormtroopers.

The only sounds that filled the air after were those of Jayna's agonized cries.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review?_

_Poor Jayna D:_

_Let's hope Cal manages to break her free soon before she turns into a puppet of the Empire!_

_See you all next time._

_Celsius Fate~_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't hate me for torturing Jayna but it's part of my plot device to move the story forward XD (spare me Torytigress92 from your wrath xD)


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cal realizes Vader isn't as oblivious as he seems, and the Sith Lord's influence is slowly pulling him towards the Dark Side of the Force.....

It seemed like eternity to Jayna as the Stormtroopers repeatedly activated the torture chair until she couldn't feel anything at all. The only slight reprieve granted to her was when the guards changed shifts, but even then they would immediately reactivate the device. Jayna silently cursed the Inquisitor who revealed her as a Force-sensitive. If it weren't for him, she would still be back on Bracca and Kit wouldn't have had to die.

As her screams echoed loudly in the air, Jayna could feel her will ebbing away. The only thought that kept her from going insane was her friend.

Suddenly the pain stopped and she panted loudly for all to hear. The door to the room opened to reveal the very Inquisitor who had condemned her to this fate standing at the entrance. The Stormtroopers were dismissed with a wave of his hand, and he walked inside the room, closing the door behind him with the Force and locking it.

"What...do _you_ want..." Jayna spat angrily.

The Inquisitor removed his helmet to reveal a human male around her age, with emerald eyes and ginger hair. Jayna sucked in a small breath at that moment, not realizing the person who brought this upon her was...well, quite good-looking.

"I'm sorry for condemning you to this. It was never my intention to do so," the Inquisitor apologized.

Now Jayna was even more stunned.

Weren't Inquisitors supposed to be ruthless and merciless in their actions? They were trained to obey orders from the Empire without question weren't they? So why is he apologizing to her out of the blue?

"I don't believe you," she hissed.

"I don't expect you to. Not after what happened to you and your friend. I...I'm sorry about him. However, trust me when I say I'm not here to hurt you. My name is Cal Kestis, I'm a Jedi Knight who survived the Purge when the Emperor executed Order 66. I was working on Bracca as a scrapper like yourself."

Jayna furrowed her brows together in confusion after hearing this.

Then she recalled the stories Kit used to tell about the Inquisitorius having found a renegade Jedi hiding on Bracca.

"Wait... _you're_ the one they tried to kill? Everyone thought you were dead..."

"I managed to escape."

"So why are you working for the Empire then? I thought Jedi were supposed to be the peacekeepers of the galaxy!"

Cal sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I...didn't join because I wanted to. I joined because I had no choice."

"What do you mean?"

* * *

Entiran was forced to join in on the plan in rescuing the Jedi Knight and Nightsister in the end after Trilla threatened to reveal just how _intimate_ their relationship with one another had been. That alone was enough to force him into obedience as he sat between Trilla and her former master rather uncomfortably. Both of them had their eyes on him, which made things even more awkward than they already were.

"Do you mind?" he said at last, having grown fed u with their silent stares.

"I am still waiting to hear on your relationship with my former Padawan," Cere said, arching an eyebrow in his direction.

"Is she going to ever let it drop?" Entiran gave Trilla a pointed stare.

"Either she hears it from me or from you. Take your pick," Trilla replied with a smirk.

A sigh of defeat escaped Entiran's lips at that point and he looked over to Cere.

"I was the former Padawan of Master Secura prior to her death and my capture by the Empire," Entiran said quietly.

Cere's eyes widened at his words.

"You were Master Secura's Padawan?! I was under the impression she didn't have any," Cere said in awe.

"She didn't want others to judge her training style, so she kept quiet about having a Padawan. The only ones who knew were Master Yoda and the members of the Council."

That could explain why Cere felt such a strong pull in the Force coming from Entiran.

"After my master was killed, the Empire's forces captured me and tortured me into obedience as an Inquisitor. I became an Inquisitor before Trilla was brought to Nur, and well...the rest is history," Entiran finished.

Trilla cleared her throat and looked at Cere with a solemn expression.

"I see. So you two found a kindred spirit in one another," Cere said mainly to herself after understanding where Entiran was coming from.

"Can we please focus on how to get Cal and Merrin out of the Fortress now that you know the backstory between the two of us?" Trilla asked impatiently, turning her head to hide her blushing face.

"The only thing I can think of is taking Trilla back to the Fortress as my prisoner. The others shouldn't be aware of what happened on Lothal, it could be plausible."

"Why are you so eager to help us? You're part of the Inquisitorious. How can I know you're not leading us into a trap?" Cere demanded, her eyes becoming suspicious.

A loud, amused laugh came out of Entiran's mouth after he listened to Cere's sudden suspicion of him.

"If I wanted you all dead, I could have just sent a signal out to the Star Destroyer that was in orbit above Lothal," he replied, giving Cere the same look she did him.

"He's not lying. I found a communicator on him after Ahsoka knocked him out," Trilla confirmed.

This was going to be a long day as Cere rubbed her face wearily with one hand.

* * *

Jayna felt sympathy after hearing Cal's explanation for what he did and why he joined the Inquisitors.

"So...you joined because it was the only way to save your Nightsister friend?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yea, but I'm working on a way to get us out of here. I can help you escape as well," Cal offered, holding a hand out to her.

Before Jayna could respond to his offer, the doors opened again and Darth Vader walked in. Cal hurriedly slipped his helmet back on and went over to the Sith's side as part of his charade. Vader stopped in front of Jayna and used the Force to hold her face up so he could look her in the eyes. Immediate fear flooded into Jayna as she was compelled to look at the Sith Lord. Is this what true terror felt like? The man before her was practically oozing in it

"Jayna Shan, I have been informed you are a Force-sensitive. The First Brother has done well in identifying you," Vader said, turning to Cal as he spoke.

"I was merely performing my duties for the Empire," Cal replied while Jayna looked on quietly.

She knew he was putting on a show for both their sake.

"There are only two options for you Jayna Shan, submit or death. The Empire does not want to see the potential of a Force-sensitive such as yourself going to waste."

"I will _never_ join the likes of the Inquisitorius!" Jayna spat venomously at the Sith Lord.

"That is not for you to decide," Vader turned to two of the Stormtroopers dressed in black. "Continue with what was going on here. I expect results within the next two days."

The two Stormtroopers gave a bow and stationed themselves on either side of the machine.

* * *

Vader left the room with Cal following silently behind, the latter's mind working overtime to come up with any idea of how to free Jayna from the machine and sneak her past the guards so she could somehow contact the Mantis.

"You are rather silent Cal Kestis," Vader remarked, snapping Cal out of his thoughts.

"Forgive me my lord. I am just not used to..." Cal trailed off at that point, grateful the helmet was blocking his expression from being viewed.

"Seeing people being tortured like that? You will gradually grow immune to it. However, I sincerely hope for your sake, you are not planning on saving her from what awaits."

At that moment Cal winced as a sharp pain began probing through his mind and he desperately fought to put up a mental barrier to prevent Vader from seeing too much into his thoughts. Drawing strength from Merrin's ritual she performed earlier to enhance his mental abilities, Cal still struggled against the powerful Sith Lord. The pain grew to the point it forced him onto his knees before Vader, helmet tossed aside as both hands were pressed against either side of his head.

 _'Remember, Cal Kestis, you cannot resist my powers. Though I find it amusing you have asked the Nightsister to...bolster your defenses._ '

The Sith Lord raised a hand and made a flicking motion.

Cal gasped in shock when he felt the connection between him and Merrin severed, and Merrin's agonized cries echoed loudly in the back of his head.

"Merrin!" Cal panted in shock, the pain in his head had him thrashing around on the floor at this point.

He was just glad there were no Stormtroopers around to witness this humiliating sight.

"You may think you have me fooled Cal Kestis, but I am the Emperor's apprentice for a reason. So long as you obey my orders, no harm will come to your Nightsister companion. Disobey me however..." Vader raised a hand at used the Force to pull Cal into the air as his legs dangled helplessly below him. "Disobey me and her life is forfeit. I am sure you do not want that to happen."

A strangled gasp was the only noise Cal was able to make before Vader released his grip on him.

"Remember Cal Kestis, there is _nothing_ you can hide from me."

The Sith Lord vanished down the hall as his cape billowed behind like a curtain.

* * *

Merrin was leaning back against the wall of the bed she was in after feeling Vader cutting off the connection between her and Cal. The pain was excruciating, an experience she had never felt prior. Vader's powers were indeed strong, perhaps even as powerful as Mother Talzin. Then again, given her current state and physical condition, it would be safe to say her mental prowess wasn't exactly at its best.

The one she was more worried about was Cal though.

She couldn't feel the connection to the Jedi after Vader cut off their mental connection.

Just as she was starting to worry about him, the door opened and Cal staggered in looking on the verge of death. Merrin wanted to run over to him but the machines prevented her from doing so.

"Cal!"

"Merrin..."

Cal fell over on the floor at that moment, provoking Merrin into tearing the needles out of her arm to rush over to where he was. His forehead was burning hot to the touch, and his entire body was shivering at regular intervals.

Despite her body still not being fully recovered from the poison, the Nightsister closed her eyes in concentration and began drawing power from within. Once her hands were glowing, she pressed them against either side of Cal's head and focused on pouring the magick into his body to chase away the remnants of darkness left by the Sith Lord. It took a great amount of concentration on her behalf to cleanse the evil, and Cal's body finally stopped shivering.

"Merrin?..." Cal's emerald eyes opened weakly.

"Cal! Are you alright?" Merrin held him close.

"Vader...knows what I'm trying to do..."

The Nightsister soothed the Jedi with one finger held against his lips.

"We'll worry about that later. You need to focus on regaining yourself first," she comforted, running a hand through his hair.

"You're so warm..." Cal said, tilting his head into her palm.

Merrin bent over and pressed her lips gently against his, sending a small amount of soothing energy into his body simultaneously. It took a while for Cal to recover from what Vader did, but he was able to pull himself back onto his feet and helped Merrin back into the bed.

"Sharpen your mind and stay focused. Remember to clear your mind or Vader will be able to penetrate your thoughts!"

"I'll try," Cal reluctantly said.

Pressing their foreheads together briefly, Cal pulled back and replaced his helmet back on his head. After making sure Merrin was settled back in the bed, he left the room and came face to face with the Third Sister, the latter having witnessed everything that happened within the room from the small window outside.

"What a scene I just witnessed," she taunted as Cal walked by her silently.

Disgruntled that he was deliberately ignoring her, the Third Sister tried to rile up the First Brother with her next words.

"How do you think Lord Vader would react if he discovered the relationship between you and that Nightsister?" she casually said, placing a finger against the side of her helmet as her head cocked to the right.

Cal twisted his head to the side and unleashed the Force with a wave of his hand, pinning the Third Sister against the wall. In one fluid motion, Cal unclipped the lightsaber and ignited it, pointing the end at the Third Sister's throat.

"Do _not_ test me Third Sister, or you will lose more than just a hand," he threatened.

The Third Sister was unable to move away from the lightsaber thanks to the Force hold coming from the First Brother.

"This is the second time you've crossed me. One more and the consequences will be severe," Cal added, lifting his lightsaber until the tip seared through the bottom of her helmet just the tiniest bit.

"I-I give!" the Third Sister gasped.

The red blade retracted and the Third Sister fell onto the floor in shock. She hurriedly removed the helmet from around her face, revealing herself to be a Twi'lek. Cal silently glared at her from behind his helmet, then walked away without another word.

* * *

_To be continued...._

_See you all next chapter!_

_Celsius Fate~_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Entirab being Aayla Secura's Padawan is totally made up by me here!!


	31. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cal discovers it's not as easy at it seems to break Jayna out of Nur along with himself and Merrin. 
> 
> Darth Vader gives Merrin a choice that will ultimately test her relationship with Cal.
> 
> Meanwhile, in an attempt to rescue their friends from Fortress Inquisitorius, Entiran and Trilla have come up with a risky plan...

Merrin glanced out the window just as Cal left and witnessed the entire scene between him and one of the Inquisitors. Though she couldn't hear what was being exchanged, the unmistakable actions of Cal choking the Inquisitor and igniting his lightsaber was more than enough to alarm the Nightsister. The Cal she knew would _never_ threaten someone just for mere enjoyment, yet the look in his eyes was enough to convince Merrin he was slowly falling to the Dark Side.

The door to her room slid open at that moment, disrupting her from her thoughts as the unmistakable presence of Darth Vader entered.

"Greetings Nightsister," the Sith Lord said, the mechanical whirring of machines filling in his words.

"Darth Vader...why are you here?" Merrin asked suspiciously, immediately putting up a mental barrier around her mind.

The Sith Lord chuckled when he tried probing her mind, only to be met with a mental block. He should have known better than to underestimate someone who also dabbles in the Dark Side of the Force.

No matter.

They will all break eventually.

"I am here with an offer...if you will," he replied.

"I will not accept any offers from the likes of you," Merrin hissed, narrowing her eyes in anger.

Vader chuckled at her unbreakable willpower.

"Listen to what I have to say first, then you can decide. Though I firmly believe you will have no choice _but_ to accept my offer."

* * *

Jayna was repeated tortured for three more rotations of the guards until her mind was on the verge of breaking.

The only thing that kept her sane was the thought of Kit telling her to never give up.

She clung onto that tiny piece of hope as the Stormtroopers activated the device for the twentieth time. The one overseeing her torture was one of the Inquisitors with a muscular build. Somewhere in her mind Jayna could recall the Stormtroopers addressing the Inquisitor as the Eighth Brother.

Her agonized cries echoed loudly in the air as electricity coursed through her entire body. Her fingers curled against the arm grips of the chair she was strapped to, her wrists already raw from struggling against the restraints that held her down.

"Enough," a familiar voice interrupted.

The machine was shut off at that moment, granting Jayna a small reprieve as she sucked in several mouthfuls of air into her deprived lungs. Once the room stopped spinning, she looked up to find the familiar silhouette of Cal standing before the others. Even the Eighth Brother had no choice but to bow his head in greeting as his rank was lower than Cal's.

"I'll take over from here," she heard Cal say.

"Understood First Brother," the Stormtrooper in charge of the squad beckoned for the others to leave the room.

The Eighth Brother lingered behind briefly as the two Inquisitors locked gazes with one another. Even Jayna could feel the tension from where she was, but the helmets on their heads prevented her from seeing their expressions. Eventually the latter grunted in response and lumbered out of the room, leaving the two of them alone at last.

"I thought you were going to get me out of here?" Jayna accused, glaring at Cal as he approached.

Cal undid the straps around her wrists through the Force, then held out a small bottle of what appeared to be water towards her.

She grabbed the bottle and greedily gulped it down, nearly choking in the process as the cold liquid soothed her parched throat. Cal waited for her to finish, then took the bottle back and allowed her to rub her wrists, though he refrained from removing her leg restraints in case she made a mad dash for the door. The last thing he needed was to have to chase her down while Stormtroopers were firing at her.

"You still haven't answered my question," Jayna grumbled, giving a pointed look at Cal.

"I'm working on a plan. It's not easy when you're being watched and monitored by Darth Vader," Cal answered, removing his helmet to run a hand through his hair wearily.

"I don't know how much more of this I can take."

Cal wished he could take her away from the room, but unless he had an excuse as to why he needed to move her to another area, she was stuck here. The only thing he could do was visit more often to give her a break from being...tortured, but even then he knew she had a limit before she cracked and became another Inquisitor like Trilla.

He needed to move fast.

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" Cere asked for the tenth time as she questioned Trilla and Entiran.

"If you want to save your friend, this is the only way."

After deliberating for what seemed like an eternity on the best way to save Cal and Merrin, Trilla and Entiran reluctantly came to the agreement to allow the latter to bring her back to Nur as his prisoner. Once they were inside the fortress, it was up to Entiran to figure out what happened to the two while Trilla would try and break free from the prison she would no doubt be placed in as a traitor.

"So you go in, figure out where they're holding Cal and Merrin, and break them out of the fortress as soon as you do. Greez and I will remain on the Mantis in orbit above the planet. As soon as you contact us, we'll rendezvous at the pick up point and fly away, _hopefully_ unscathed."

"That's the plan," Trilla said with a soft exhale of a breath.

To play the part of a captured prisoner, Trilla allowed herself to be given a couple of bruises here and there by Entiran. Cere called up an old friend who owed her a favor and produced a TIE Fighter from said friend somehow. Cere didn't reveal much about her friend, only that he dealt in arms trades and black market goods. They agreed to meet up a few planets away from Nur to do the exchange.

"Just remember to not do anything rash while we're on the planet," Entiran said as he crossed his arms.

"I know," Trilla responded, shaking her head in response.

"Get ready to land," Greez called up from the front.

* * *

Darth Vader left the room a long time ago but his words lingered in the air around Merrin as she sat on the bed, hugging her knees against her chest as the Nightsister contemplated on what the Sith Lord said.

So it was true.

Cal was slowly falling under Vader's influence and towards the Dark Side despite her teaching him how to control it.

Vader offered her a choice of either joining the Inquisitorius or watch helplessly as Cal fell until he eventually killed his friends. Vader gave no room for her to waver after revealing the medicine she had been given contained...something that would apparently give her excruciating pain if she went against his words. He demonstrated his words with a wave of his hand earlier, and the Nightsister was thrown into agony as her body twisted and writhed on the bed from whatever it was that was ravaging her body from the inside.

"Mother...sisters...please give me the strength to fight this," Merrin whispered, holding the broken amulet between her hands as she tried to meditate.

The amulet hovered briefly in the air before falling back into her palms.

Merrin let out a frustrated sigh at that point.

"Mother, what can I do? Please guide me," Merrin closed her eyes to lean back against the bed.

Of course there would be no answer.

* * *

Cal was about to head back to Merrin's room when a commotion at the front of the fortress caught his eye. Several squads of Stormtroopers rushed past him and Cal caught one of the leaders by the arm.

"What's going on?" he demanded.

"The Sixth Brother has come back from Lothal along with the former Second Sister as his hostage," the commander informed him.

Trilla was here?

He released the commander's arm and followed after the clone towards the entrance. Along the way he was joined by several of the other Inquisitors, including his new 'partner' the Third Sister.

"I hear Entiran has finally returned from Lothal. Shame the Fifth and Ninth Sisters are still missing," she said as the two calmly walked towards the entrance.

"What's going to happen now?" Cal couldn't help but ask.

"That depends on the Grand Inquisitor."

"Grand Inquisitor?"

The Third Sister cocked her head at home and shook her head. Cal had a feeling she was most likely rolling her eyes at him behind the visor of her helmet.

"Since you're newly promoted, you wouldn't know much of how things work around here. Though you hold the rank of First Brother, which would give you rank and power over the rest of us, we all answer to the Grand Inquisitor who answers to Lord Vader alone. Normally the Grand Inquisitor is the one who gives us orders and missions, while Lord Vader only intervenes unless necessary."

So there was someone of a higher rank than him within the Fortress.

"Here we are. Let's hope for Entiran's sake, the Grand Inquisitor is in a good mood today."

The two arrived and stood beside the rest of the Inquisitors while a pale humanoid male walked down from the stairs. Cal glanced up and recognized the male to be of the Paun species, thanks to the lack of a helmet around his head.

"Grand Inquisitor, I apologize for the delay but I have returned from Lothal with the traitorous former Second Sister Trilla Suduri," Entiran explained as he knelt before the Grand Inquisitor.

A dreadful silence hung in the air for a while as the Grand Inquisitor studied the kneeling Entiran and the bound former Second Sister.

"Rise," he finally said.

Entiran stood up and jerked on the chains that bound Trilla, causing her to stumble forward onto the ground. Immediately the Grand Inquisitor used the Force to lift up a struggling Trilla, his fingers curling slightly to compress her air channels.

"What shall we do with you?" the Grand Inquisitor drawled, turning his head to look at the other Inquisitors in the room.

"Death," everyone in the room echoed.

Cal refrained from speaking lest Trilla recognized his voice but his mind was working overtime to come up with a plan to rescue not just Jayna, but now Trilla as well.

Why did things have to get so complicated?

"Death is too simple for someone who was once the former Second Sister. I shall let Lord Vader decide what to do with you," the Grand Inquisitor said.

Several Stormtroopers came forward and grabbed Trilla by the arms.

"Bring her to the prison first," the Grand Inquisitor ordered.

She was led away from the area while Cal willed himself not to look in her direction when she passed by him. Instead he focused his attention on the Sixth Brother until the Third Sister elbowed him in the ribs.

"Ow!"

"Quit staring at him. We need to report to the Grand Inquisitor, it seems he has a new mission for us."

This day couldn't get any worse.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_I hope everyone is safe and sound at home during these trying times._

_Remember to wash your hands frequently, wear a mask, and practice social distancing!_

_Do not go out unless you really have to!_

_Let's help prevent this virus from spreading further!_

_See you all next time!_

_Celsius Fate~_


	32. Chapter 32

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cal is given a new mission by the Grand Inquisitor to escort Jayna back to Bracca in an attempt to turn her into an Inquisitor by having her friends murdered in front of her. 
> 
> Trilla finds herself at Vader's mercy and is forced to return to the torture chair that turned her into an Inquisitor in the first place.
> 
> Jayna hears a mysterious voice within her head and reaches out to the Force for the first time, discovering she can manipulate the actions of others in an attempt to escape from the Empire's grasp.....

Dreading the confrontation with the Grand Inquisitor, Cal followed after the Third Sister and Entiran. The Jedi's mind was on overdrive as he went over plan after plan to get Jayna _and_ Trilla out of the Fortress with their lives intact. Why couldn't things be easy for him for once in his life? As he walked through the corridor, Cal could feel Entiran's eyes skewering him from his peripheral vision.

"Dia, who on Earth is your new partner?" Entiran asked, indicating towards Cal with his head.

"The newly promoted First Brother," Cal heard his 'partner' reply, shocking Entiran as he whipped his head to look at him.

Cal was awfully glad he had a helmet on at that moment because if Entiran figured out it was him...well he didn't want to think about what would happen.

"When was he promoted? I thought Lord Vader always kept that position withheld for a reason."

Dia shrugged her shoulders.

"Don't ask me. We're just following orders," she said.

Entiran looked at Cal suspiciously as they turned the corner of the corridor.

"So...what's your name, First Brother?"

' _Calm down Cal! Think of something! Anything!_ '

"I have no obligation to give you my name, Sixth Brother."

The abrupt coldness that came out of Cal's mouth stunned even himself but the Jedi kept calm and continued following the Third Sister. It seems his aloofness was enough to prevent Entiran from questioning further, since his rank was higher than the latter's. The trio stood in front of a door and Dia raised a hand to knock on the door, only entering upon hearing the Grand Inquisitor give clearance to do so.

They entered the dimly lit room and knelt on the floor as the Grand Inquisitor turned to face them.

"Rise," he said.

Cal stood back up beside the Third Sister while Entiran stood behind as the Grand Inquisitor wished to speak to the duo first.

"Lord Vader has a new mission for you two," the Paun humanoid alien told them.

"We await our new orders," Cal said, forcing himself to play the part of a obedient Inquisitor.

"The new Force-sensitive girl...has proven to be more problematic than usual. Lord Vader wishes for you to take her back to Bracca and...speed things along. It seems she needs a little _push_ to embrace the dark side. Here is a holocron with information pertaining to that girl that my scouts were able to dig up. Use it to your advantage," the Grand Inquisitor reached out with the Force and levitated a red holocron into Cal's hands.

"We will not fail you or Lord Vader," Dia said with a bow.

The Grand Inquisitor casually waved a hand to dismiss them at that moment, turning to speak to Entiran privately now that they were given their new mission. Cal left the room with the Third Sister.

* * *

Merrin sighed to herself and pull her legs up against her chest as she stared at the bed. Ever since Darth Vader stopped by and revealed there were organisms within her body, the Nightsister tried using her magick to expel them out but there were simply too many. Exhausted beyond belief after depleting her reservoir, the only thing Merrin could do was sleep to replenish it.

"Merrin?"

Cal's familiar and warm voice broke her out of her stupor.

The Nightsister smiled as the Jedi Knight came over to her and sat down on the bed, his right hand gently brushing strands of stray hair away from her face. Iridescent green swimming with exhaustion and weariness met concerned amber as the two locked gazes. Merrin rested a palm gently against Cal's cheek, her thumb caressing his skin repeatedly, motivating Cal to lean into her touch.

"You look so exhausted," she murmured, her thumb brushing under his eyes where dark circles were starting to form.

"I can say the same for you," Cal responded, pressing his forehead against hers.

They sat there in silence for a while until the latter suddenly pressed a hand against his abdomen with his eyebrows furrowed together in pain. Merrin pulled back and recognized what was going on. She pressed her own hand atop Cal's and channeled some of her magick into his body to soothe the pain, watching as his pained expression slowly relaxed.

"Is your wound bothering you again?" she asked quietly.

"Yea. It's been a while since it acted up but the pain is far more intense compared to when I was on the Mantis or Lothal. I think...being so close to Vader has something to do with it since he's on Nur currently."

Deliberating with herself for a while, Merrin took a deep breath and decided to tell Cal what Vader said to her. Just before she could open her mouth, Cal's imperial communicator went off, and a female voice told him to meet her at the hangar.

"Who was that?" Merrin frowned slightly after hearing the voice.

"My new partner. We need to go back to Bracca with the Force-sensitive Jayna as ordered by the Grand Inquisitor."

"Why?"

"I don't know...but I'm going to see if I can help her escape."

* * *

Jayna was grateful to be out of the torture chair after two Stormtroopers freed her from her bonds, only for gratefulness to morph into anticipation when she was then led towards the hangar by a small squad. Upon seeing the Third Sister standing beside a TIE and small transport, her anticipation became full-blown worry. It became clear at that moment she was to be taken somewhere.

"Where are you taking me? Let go!" she cried, struggling against her bonds.

"Quiet!" one of the Stormtroopers smacked her in the back of her head with the end of his blaster.

The sudden impact caused her to lurch forward, forcing Jayna to close her eyes and brace herself for the fall onto the ground. Instead her fall was broken by someone using the Force to hold her up.

"I can see you're still as feisty as ever. No matter, you will lose that spark soon enough," the Third Sister taunted, revealing herself to be the one holding Jayna up.

"Let her go Dia, we don't have time for this."

Cal's voice interrupted the Third Sister's as the Stormtroopers gave a short bow to the former as he walked into the hangar.

Dia scoffed behind her helmet and released Jayna from her hold, letting the latter fall onto the ground without a care. Two Stormtroopers on either side of Jayna hauled her back onto her feet, then one of them gave a harsh shove, pushing her up the ramp of the transport.

"Always the spoilsport," Dia grumbled to her partner.

"Let's get this over with," was all Cal said as he walked up to Dia's TIE Fighter.

"That's my ship!" she protested.

"We're going together in yours since Lord Vader didn't assign me a ship yet," Cal replied without looking over his shoulder.

* * *

Never in her life did Trilla expect to find herself back on Nur after escaping with Cal's help.

Yet here she was.

Imprisoned in one of the cells just like the first time she was brought here after being captured by the Empire's forces.

The claustrophobic conditions brought about repressed memories as Trilla huddled in a corner of the room.

"There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no chaos, there is harmony," Trilla repeated quietly, reciting the Jedi Code in an attempt to calm herself.

Entiran promised to save her along with Cal and Merrin.

While she currently wasn't as trusting as she once was of him, Trilla knew she could do nothing while locked up. A heavy presence bore down on her like a thick rope, nearly suffocating Trilla as her body froze in place. The only orifices she could move were her eyes, and they immediately locked onto the ominous presence of Darth Vader descending down the flight of stairs to stand in front of her cell.

"Trilla Suduri, never would I expect to find you back on Nur after betraying the Empire," the Sith Lord said through every mechanical breath exhaled.

Her fear of him and the fact her body was being held in a Force hold prevented Trilla from saying anything.

"Have you forgotten how we deal with traitors such as yourself?" Vader continued, shutting off the power to her cell and levitating her out with the Force.

"I-I..." Trilla struggled to form a sentence.

Calling on the Force for strength and guidance, Trilla managed to snatch Vader's lightsaber from within his robes and ignited it, hoping to land at least one blow on the Sith Lord. Vader lifted a hand and blocked the lightsaber effortlessly with the Force, chuckling at the former's audacity at using his own lightsaber against him. He had to commend her for her courage. Many would have been scared speechless from being in his presence alone.

"I commend you for your bravery, but you are foolish in trying to oppose me."

Another flick of his wrist deactivated the lightsaber as Trilla dangled helplessly before the Sith Lord.

"Death would be too merciful for you. Your talents as an Inquisitor can still serve the Empire well..."

Several Stormtroopers led by Entiran emerged from one of the blast doors on the other end of the hall. Vader beckoned for them to come down, all the while keeping a careful watch on Trilla.

"Bring her back to the torture room...and re-instill obedience to the Empire to her. She still has use as an Inquisitor, and what she knows after escaping Nur will serve the Emperor's purpose further."

* * *

Bracca.

Jayna couldn't believe it.

She was being brought back to Bracca.

The unmistakable planet which was her home hovered into view when the transport exited from hyper jump.

Was she being set free?

No.

The Empire wasn't that generous.

There must be something more sinister behind this.

As she sat there in a corner of the transport with blasters trained on her, Jayna could feel her frustration grow and grow until something inside called out to her.

The voice was soothing, almost like a mother's whispers to her child. It wrapped around her mind, chasing away any anxiety and doubts that were floating like a cloud above her head.

" _Do not fear my child. Reach out to the Force, let it be your strength, let it guide your hands. Do not be afraid, open yourself up. You are a Force-sensitive, rise in the Force and trust its will..."_

A small gasp escaped her lips and Jayna quickly clamped her lips shut, her eyes darting around to see if the Stormtroopers had heard her.

They didn't.

" _Who are you!? What do you want?!"_ she demanded.

 _"Trust in the Force my child. Open yourself up and embrace who you were born to be!_ "

The voice vanished from her mind after that but not before it wrapped around her body, giving her strength and power. Jayna closed her eyes and took several deep breaths to calm her nerves, then she tried doing what the voice suggested and reached out.

That's when she saw threads in the air, all connecting to her, and she slightly jerked her hand.

"Release me," she commanded, locking gazes with the Stormtrooper nearest her.

"What are you do-"

"Release me," she repeated in a firmer tone.

"Right. I need to release you from your bonds," the Stormtrooper walked over and undid the shackles around her wrists.

"Hey! What are you doing?" the other Stormtrooper demanded, returning to the back just in time to see Jayna being freed.

Wasting no time in letting them react, Jayna grabbed the blaster from the Stormtrooper who released her and fired off two shots, both piercing through the armor of the clones, dropping their bodies to the floor of the transport. Walking to the cockpit of the transport, Jayna pressed the barrel of the gun against the Stormtrooper's head and used the Force again.

"Do not alert the Inquisitors. You will continue your way to Bracca but you will drop me off at BracSec instead," Jayna ordered.

"I will drop you off at BracSec instead," the Stormtrooper confirmed.

Seating herself in to co-pilot chair, Jayna kept the blaster trained on the Stormtrooper in case he tried something funny. Perhaps now she could come up with a way to free herself from the Empire's grasp. However, she couldn't do it alone, which meant she had to call on an old friend for aid.

Using the communicator aboard the transport, Jayna punched in the corresponding code and waited until a familiar voice answered.

"Bryna! It's me!" she said excitedly.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Thoughts? Comments? Concerns?_

_I hope everyone is remaining safe and indoors during these trying times!_

_Please practice social distancing and avoid gatherings until the pandemic is over!_

_Until next chapter!_

_Celsius Fate~_


	33. Chapter 33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jayna escapes to BracSec and enlists the help of her former mentor to evade the Inquisitors. 
> 
> Cal begins his descent into the Dark Side of the Force.....

" _Jayna?! What in the world happened to you!? All I got hold of was you were whisked away by the Inquisitors for being a Force-sensitive? Is it true? Wait, how are you contacting me on an Imperial channel?_ "

"Slow down Bryna, it's a long story! I'm being transported back to Bracca but I don't know why! I've managed to get the Stormtrooper to bring me to BracSec instead of wherever the Inquisitors wanted me to go. I need your help getting off their radar," Jayna explained, noticing the transport was breaking through the atmosphere of Bracca.

" _Commander Torone isn't going to like it. You left BracSec to pursue a career as a scrapper in the shipyards and she's been upset about it ever since._ "

Jayna leaned back against the chair and rubbed her forehead wearily. Of course, she hadn't forgotten about her long-time mentor Halas Torone. The stern older human was practically like a mother figure to her. With her fierce grey eyes and iron-streaked black hair, Halas Torone was one woman you'd _never_ want to cross; as she was a well-respected figure in Bracca's society. Honestly, if Jayna hadn't quit halfway through her training to being a Security Officer, she could have been living a rather easy life.

Instead she chose to quit her apprenticeship and become a scrapper working in the shipyards. Torone nearly had a heart attack when she found out her beloved protege wanted to lower herself to such standards, but Jayna made it clear it was her decision to make.

They parted on uneasy terms, but she had a feeling Halas Torone would welcome her back with open arms.

" _Hello? Jayna?_ "

"I'm still here. I know Torone won't be happy about it, but given her status on Bracca, she can buy me some time to evade the Inquisitors until I can sneak off the planet undetected. _Please_ Bryna, get me a meeting with Torone and I'll owe you one!"

Bryna's laugh came over from the other end.

" _You already owe me when you ditched me to become a scrapper. Commander Torone will be back from making her rounds shortly, do try and discreetly slip inside BracSec without being seen. I do mean_ discreetly _when I say it. The last thing I need is one of the idiot apprentices mistaking you for a trespasser_."

"Done."

Knowing it wouldn't be safe to keep the line open for much longer, Jayna cut off the conversation and scrambled the channel to prevent the Empire from tracking who she had contacted. Her skills as a former Security Officer in training did come in handy from time to time.

* * *

Cal and Dia landed on Bracca at their designated rendezvous point with the transport ship, but they were greeted with nothing by silence when the duo managed to disentangle themselves long enough to step out of the latter's TIE Fighter. Who knew it would be so cramped inside? Clearly these were designed for one pilot only. Cal spent the entire trip crouched up in one of the corners while Dia piloted.

"Where is the transport ship?" Dia barked, turning to one of the Purge Troopers who was part of her squad.

The Purge Trooper pressed a hand against his helmet and whispered something, then turned to face the two.

"Apologies Third Sister, it would seem the transport has indeed landed in Bracca, but in a different section of the planet."

The Twi'lek Inquisitor ignited her lightsaber and pointed it at the terrified Purge Trooper.

"You have three seconds to tell me where the ship landed or your head will be severed from your neck."

The poor clone began barking into his communicator while Dia calmly swung her lightsaber in a circle, clearly maintaining her threat to detach said head from neck. Cal stood quietly to the side, a hand pressed against his abdomen while the other rubbed circles on his temple. His headache was getting worse and the aching cold from Vader's old wound acting up only served to upset his mood further.

"The ship landed in BracSec!" the Purge Trooper reported just as Dia raised her lightsaber in the air.

Dia deactivated her lightsaber and clipped it back on her belt.

"BracSec? Why would the ship land there..."

"We better go find out before she manages to escape and Lord Vader has our heads on a platter for this," Cal muttered, stomping his way back up to Dia's ship.

* * *

Once the ship was near the entrance to BracSec, Jayna ordered the Stormtrooper to drop her off before destroying the ship to prevent it from being tracked by the Empire. Only when she witnessed the ship blowing into pieces after ramming into a decommissioned Star Destroyer did she breathe marginally easier. Straightening out her clothes and brushing her hair back from her face, Jayna snuck her way into the building, making sure to avoid all the security droids and cameras placed throughout.

Stopping in front of her former bunk room shared with Bryna, she took several deep breaths and raised a hand to knock on the door.

Bryna answered on the first knock.

"Jayna! You crazy person!" Bryna yanked her friend into the room and quickly shut the door.

The two friends proceeded to hug each other like crazy while tears were shed. Bryna was the first to compose herself and pulled away long enough to give Jayna a look over, then smacked her on the head.

"You idiot! Do you have any idea how worried I was for you?" she said through her tears, crushing Jayna in another hug after.

"I'm sorry! I'm glad you're still willing to help despite me ditching you," Jayna said with a giggle.

A knock at the door interrupted the two's reunion and Jayna quickly hid behind the door while Bryna went to answer it. Standing on the other side was an apprentice Security Officer with a worried look on her face.

"Soren? What's going on?" Bryna didn't like the look given.

"We've been ordered to stand before the Inquisitors. Commander Torone tried to overrule it but her request was shot down so I came to get you."

"I see. I'll be there in a bit," Bryna assured, closing the door once Soren was out of sight.

Jayna shimmied her way out from behind the door with a worried expression upon her face. How did the Inquisitors find her so fast? More importantly, how did they realize she was in BracSec? The transport ship definitely blew up earlier...unless an Imperial Probe Droid caught sight of it and relayed the information back to the Empire.

"What am I going to do? They're gonna tear this place apart to look for me!" Jayna gripped Bryna's hands tightly in hers.

"Find Commander Torone. She'll know what to do, while the rest of us stall the Inquisitors for time."

"I can't let you risk that! Not after...after..." Jayna's shoulders dropped as she recalled how Kit sacrificed himself in an attempt to save her the first time the Inquisitors came to Bracca.

Her friend gave a reassuring squeeze of her hands.

"Don't worry. Now go find the Commander in her room! I already told her you'd be coming to see her," Bryna said, then she left the room while leaving Jayna to her thoughts.

* * *

Cal and the Third Sister arrived in time to see the neatly formed line of BracSec Security Officers waiting for them just as ordered. Supporting himself with one hand on the side of Dia's TIE Fighter, the Jedi removed his helmet and doubled over to empty the contents of his stomach. Being cramped in that small space aboard the ship combined with the pounding headache was enough to push him over the edge.

Once his stomach settled and the headache was _finally_ starting to ebb away did Cal replace the helmet back on his head.

Dia was already barking at the Security Officers when he went back to join his partner.

"We've received knowledge that a prisoner has escaped to BracSec. This prisoner is a dangerous fugitive, a Force-sensitive human female who goes by the name of Jayna. If any of you reveal her whereabouts, you will be highly rewarded. Lie to us however, and you'll face the blade of my lightsaber."

Her lightsaber was ignited to prove her words as Dia began interrogating every officer down the line. Cal was quietly observing from behind when he noticed one of the officers shifting uncomfortably on her feet, her eyes darting to Dia and back again every so often. Realizing this girl might know something regarding Jayna's whereabouts, Cal went over to her while signaling for the Purge Troopers to stay where they were.

"You know where Jayna is don't you?" he asked quietly.

Her eyes immediately widened in shock.

* * *

Bracing herself for the not-so-sweet reunion between herself and Halas Torone, Jayna mustered up enough courage to knock on the door of her former mentor.

"Enter."

Jayna entered the room and found Halas sitting behind her desk, hunched over a pile of paperwork which needed attention. However, the moment Jayna stepped into her room, Halas paused in the signing of the document and looked up from the paper.

"Jayna Shan, I never thought I'd see you back on Bracca again."

"H-Hi," Jayna gave a nervous smile and wave.

Halas pushed herself back from the desk and got up to go over to her former apprentice. She studied the latter with her grey eyes, then bent and gave Jayna a big hug. Surprised by this reaction (she was expecting a yelling honestly), Jayna stood there dumbfounded, then her hands went around Halas' waist to return the favor.

"I'm so glad you're safe my child," Halas whispered.

"I'm sorry for quitting the corps. I should have remained as a Security Officer," Jayna said, feeling tears beginning to well up behind her eyes.

"Nonsense. You were always steadfast and strong-willed. I couldn't have kept you here if you were unhappy. Now, we have no time to lose my dear. I know the Inquisitors are searching for you."

"I know! I tried to lose them but a Probe Droid must have captured footage of the transport ship I was on and sent it back to the Empire!"

The older human woman sighed quietly under her breath.

Was this the right time to tell Jayna the truth of everything?

No.

She made a promise to only do so when the time was right.

This was _definitely_ not the right time to do so.

Not with the Empire's Inquisitors here hunting for her. If her true heritage was revealed...the Emperor will no doubt do whatever it takes to get Jayna back into his grasp. For now she'll have to rely on several friends to take Jayna off Bracca and off the Empire's radar.

She'll have to contact Cere Junda.

* * *

"You know where Jayna is, don't you?" Cal asked quietly.

"No! I don't know who this Jayna is," the officer rebutted.

Spying the tool belt around her waist, Cal removed one of his gloves and reached out to touch it, experiencing a Force Echo the moment his skin made contact with the belt. The Third Sister noticed the commotion that was going on further down the line and went to stand beside her partner, waiting impatiently for him to snap out of the vision he was witnessing.

"Did you see anything?" the Twi'lek inquired.

Cal yanked his glove back on and shook his head. "No, the Force Echo showed nothing but a bunch of useless images," he said in a low voice.

"We'll just have to do this the hard way then," Dia grumbled, stalking back off towards the middle of the line.

The female officer gave him a questioning look, prompting Cal to lean down and whisper something in her ear.

"Thank you for revealing Jayna's whereabouts."

Then he ignited his lightsaber and thrust the end into the officer's chest.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Cal! What have you done!?_

_-cue Imperial March theme- Thus begins Cal's descent of madness into the Dark Side of the Force...ehehehehehehe_

_He's not doing this willingly._

_Vader's influence is starting to take a toll on Cal's mental health._

_Don't worry though, the title of this story is called Redemption for a reason ;D_

_Next chapter will feature an intense battle between Jayna and Cal/Dia_

_Now I'm not the best at writing battle scenes, so bear with me while I try to use as much descriptive imagery as possible to bring the scene to life lol_

_Until next time!_

_Celsius Fate~_

_Also, shout out to **ToryTigress92**_ _for letting me use Jayna as a regular character in my story now. She grew on me and I have plans for her x3_

_This is still a Cal/Merrin story, so don't worry if you think I'm replacing Merrin with Jayna lol._


	34. Chapter 34

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jayna finds herself caught in a battle between Cal and Dia.
> 
> Emperor Palpatine finally discovers the whereabouts of a certain someone and sends Cal to retrieve her.
> 
> Cere finds out Cal has become an Inquisitor after rescuing Jayna from Bracca.

Knowing the road ahead for Jayna will be full of peril and with the Empire on her trail, Halas Torone went back to her desk and unlocked the lowest cabinet drawer using a special key kept around her neck. Nestled within was a lightsaber hilt, with a still functioning kyber crystal. Taking this up in her hand, Halas smiled fondly at the memories that came flooding back during her time as an active Jedi. Now it was time for her to pass it onto Jayna who will hopefully have a better use for it.

"Take this," she said, holding the lightsaber out to her former apprentice.

Jayna's eyes broadened in shock upon realizing _what_ exactly it was that her former mentor was holding between her hands.

"H-How do you have a lightsaber? _Why_ do you have a lightsaber?!" Jayna breathed in shock, refusing to believe what she was seeing.

"That is a story for another day. Take this and may it protect you in many battles to come," Halas said, pushing the weapon into Jayna's hands.

Her fingers closed around the hilt of the weapon in silence, the tips grazing against the cool metal as Jayna stared at the intricate designs that wound themselves around the hilt, all the way up to the emitter. Wood was inlaid into certain parts of the duralite hilt, giving it an aesthetic look that was certainly pleasing to the eye. What caught her attention was the fact that the lightsaber had two emitters, one on either end of the hilt. Jayna's thumb brushed up against the button and she pressed down on it, igniting a blue blade that hummed loudly as she twirled the weapon several times. Once she was satisfied it was in working order, Jayna deactivated the weapon and clipped it on her belt.

"I've contacted an old friend of mine to take you off the planet. She was reluctant to do so since she's apparently tied up in some business, but relented after I told her it was urgent. Take the back entrance and make your way to the shipyards, my friend will be waiting to pick you up there. I'll buy you some time to escape in the mean-"

Loud screams of terror from the front entrance cut their conversation short. Halas ran over to the window and peered outside to find one of the Inquisitors had impaled an officer with their lightsaber.

"No!" the commander said in shock.

Jayna peered over Halas' shoulder and recognized the officer as Bryna.

"Bryna! No! Why!" she cried, making to jump out the window and run to her friend.

Halas grabbed her by the waist and yanked her back before the brunette could do something drastic that would jeopardize her life. The girl struggled against the older woman's vice grip as tears streamed down her face.

"If you jump out there you'll only end up back in their hands! You need to get to the shipyards!"

"But Bryna-"

"Would want you to be safe above all else. I know you and her were close, and your reunion was short, but you need to prioritize your safety first now that the Empire has you on their radar. Take this poncho to blend in with the other scrappers and go!"

Shoving a spare poncho into her arms, Halas pushed Jayna towards the back entrance and made sure the girl was on her way towards the shipyards. Then straightening herself back up, the commander made her way towards the front to find out what was going on.

* * *

Cal felt nothing as he impaled the officer through with his lightsaber.

He retracted his weapon and watched as her body slumped onto the ground with a thud, drawing attention from the other officers and Dia. Upon seeing the body of one of theirs lying on the ground, everyone started screaming in horror and tried to run, but Dia ordered the Purge Troopers to block their escape routes. The group huddled together in one large mass, completely terrified as they looked at the Inquisitors in fear.

"Why did you do that? Now you've gone and terrified the others," Dia hissed, shooting him an accusing look through her helmet.

"Isn't that what we do as Inquisitors?" Cal replied calmly, deactivating his lightsaber.

"I see you're taking to your new role rather well," the Twi'lek complimented with a short nod of her head.

"What is going on here!?" an unfamiliar voice demanded.

The two Inquisitors looked up to find an older woman dressed in the robes of a BracSec Commander coming out of the building and towards where they were standing.

"This is Imperial business. You have no authority to stop us...Commander Torone is it?" Dia said after looking at the name stitched in the uniform of the former.

"You just murdered one of my officers! You've _made_ it my business to get to the bottom of this! What did this poor girl do to deserve such a fate?" Torone accused, pointing a finger at the two.

The Purge Troopers trained their weapons on the commander.

Cal waved a hand to dismiss them and stepped forward to confront the human woman.

"That officer proved to be useless in aiding our search for a escaped fugitive."

"It does not give you the right to end her life!"

Growing tired of hearing her ramblings, Cal used the Force to put her in a choke hold, lifting the woman off her feet as he curled his fingers slightly. The voice inside his head told him to continue choking her. The power and adrenaline surging through his body excited Cal as he gave in to the whispers.

"LET. HER. GO!"

* * *

Despite being pushed towards the back door to escape towards the shipyards, Jayna couldn't shake the feeling in her guts that something was going to happen to her former mentor. Therefore, instead of heading for her designated escape route, she turned back around and hid behind a wall to observe what was going 's when she saw Cal place Halas in a choke hold using the Force.

Anger and hurt welled up within the brunette as she clenched her hands into fists. She believed in Cal, _trusted_ him, even saw him as a light of hope since he was the only one to show her kindness when she was being tortured back on Nur. He promised to get her out of the Empire's grasp, so _why_ was he doing this?

Before she could even think of a rational plan, she found herself running out of her hiding spot with her lightsaber in hand .

"LET. HER. GO!" she screamed, jumping into the air and activating her weapon at the same time.

Cal released his grip on Halas and ignited his own lightsaber, blocking the blade with ease and parrying Jayna away from him. She landed roughly on her back from the force of Cal's push, nearly having the wind knocked out of her but somehow managed to keep hold of her lightsaber.

"J-Jayna! Why did you come back?" Halas gasped, sucking in breaths of air into her lungs.

"Kill them all, not a single one is to be left alive!" the Third Sister ordered at that point.

The Purge Troopers opened fire relentlessly on the officers but Jayna gave a loud cry and raised her hand, feeling power well up from within her body and bursting outward from her palm. The BracSec officers suddenly found themselves able to run with renewed stamina, outmaneuvering the Purge Troopers as they all ran for cover inside the BracSec building.

"What..." Jayna stared at her hand in shock.

"Battle meditation. You just used battle meditation," Halas informed her, limping over to help Jayna stand up while the Purge Troopers were preoccupied with shooting everyone they could see.

"Battle meditation?"

Their conversation was cut short by a red lightsaber flying their way in a circle. Jayna blocked the blades with her own lightsaber, feeling herself being pushed back a bit by the momentum of the throw. Halas steadied her with a firm grip until Jayna convinced her former mentor to flee while she still could.

"May the Force be with you my child," Halas said as she fled back inside the BracSec building to be with the other officers.

* * *

Dia and Cal ignited their lightsabers and the former threw hers outwards in a circle towards their fugitive target. After the girl managed to repel the blades, Dia called her weapon back to her hand through the Force and the two slowly circled Jayna. Cal definitely felt the surge of power when Jayna did whatever it was she did earlier using the Force. Her potential was strong, and her latent abilities were most likely the same, which meant he should take her seriously as an opponent.

"She's strong. Don't underestimate her abilities," Cal said to the Third Sister as they faced the human girl.

"I felt it. Though she's facing off against two Force-trained users. We have the advantage over her."

"Just keep a straight head and don't get too cocky."

The two Inquisitors slowly circled Jayna as the brunette lifted up her lightsaber, unsure which direction she should defend from. Igniting the other end of his lightsaber, Cal twisted the center and split it into two, partially wondering if Vader was the one who ordered him given this lightsaber. With a quick nod of Dia's head, he launched himself towards Jayna and brought his lightsabers down hard on her own.

Dia attacked from the left side which was left unguarded, except Jayna somehow ignited the other end to block Dia's blades from making contact with her waist.

"You have some skills after all," Dia mocked as she and Cal flipped backwards on their feet.

"Focus," Cal chided.

* * *

This battle was going to end badly for Jayna if she let it drag out any further than necessary. The only thing keeping her alive right now was basic survival instincts at this point, and the pure adrenaline coursing through her entire body. Knowing she was severely outmatched by the two since she lacked any form of training, Jayna could only rely on what she had been taught during her time at BracSec.

Cal threw himself at her again, barely giving her any time to react or breathe. It didn't help that her lightsaber couldn't be split into two like Cal's could, which meant she had to twirl her weapon around like a baton. When this battle was over she'll have to figure out a way to modify the lightsaber so she can dual-wield as well. Her legs were starting to give beneath her feet from his weight pushing down on her.

"Cal, don't do this. You _promised_ me you'd help me flee from the Empire!" she pleaded desperately, tightening her grip around the hilt of her lightsaber to prevent Cal's own from searing into her shoulder blades.

"I'm sorry Jayna," was all Cal said as he landed a kick to her chest.

The force of his kick landed Jayna on her back as Cal retreated and the Third Sister came flying into view from above. Rolling out of the way just as the red lightsaber slammed into the ground beside her, Jayna raised a hand out, concentrated on throwing the Inquisitor off balance, and felt power surge out of her palm. The Inquisitor was knocked off balance, surprisingly the brunette as she stood up to stare at herself in shock.

Her small victory was short-lived as Cal rained slashes down upon her via a spinning attack. Jayna grunted at the sheer raw power behind Cal's brutal attacks, feeling her legs slip slowly as she was forced to take a step back, followed by another and another. The Third Sister took advantage of this opening to land a kick to her thigh, forcing Jayna down on one knee. Cal aimed another blow towards her unguarded right flank, but she quickly brought the iridescent blade down to block the blow. Mustering all of her remaining strength, Jayna shoved Cal off her and reaching out through the threads that connected them all through the Force. That's when she felt it, _all_ of it. She could feel the hearts of Cal and the Third Sister, their muscles, bones and strong determination to bring her to heel.

Instinctively she found herself twisting the threads ever so slightly, decreasing their will and morale to fight, which began to affect their combat effectiveness. Their strikes became clumsy and lacked coordination, allowing Jayna to dodge their attacks with relative ease.

* * *

"Is it me or did our attacks become clumsy all of a sudden?" Dia hissed, circling Jayna from behind while Cal did the same in front.

"That commander from earlier said something about battle meditation. It could be what she's doing to lower our combat effectiveness."

Twirling her lightsaber casually in the air as she walked circles, Dia looked for signs of weakness to exploit and discovered the human female was starting to grow exhausted from keeping up the battle meditation.

"Can you slow her down?" Dia asked.

"I can."

Cal raised his hand and reached out through the Force, using it to distort the flow of time around Jayna's body. Dia darted forward and landed a sharp blow to the latter's solar plexus which effectively knocked her out for good.

* * *

"Are you sure this is such a good idea?" Greez said as he pulled the Mantis into orbit above Bracca.

"I have no choice. I promised Halas Torone I'd owe her a favor long ago. I just didn't expect her to call upon it at this time," Cere replied wearily, sitting herself down in the co-pilot chair.

_Beep-fwee-do-beep-trill!_

"I know BD, I'm just as worried as you are, but the only thing we can do now is trust Trilla and Entiran to bring back Cal and Merrin."

 _Boop-beep_.

BD-1's antennas flattened themselves against the droid's head as it went to perch on top of the control panel.

"Wait, I'm picking up something..."

Cere's fingers fiddled with the dials and buttons on the control panel as she listened closely to Imperial communications.

"Change courses for BracSec headquarters! I've picked up a distress signal coming from Torone!"

The Lateron twisted on the control yoke of the ship and turned the Mantis east.

* * *

A low rumbling sound reminiscent of engines interrupted Cal and Dia as the two were suddenly exposed to heat and light coming from a ship that hovered in front of them. The Jedi Knight immediately recognized the ship as the Mantis, with the ramp lowered as Cere began firing at them with her blaster. Deflecting the blasts with their lightsabers, Dia remained by Jayna's side just as the latter began to wake from being knocked out previously.

"Jump!" Cal heard Cere yell to the slightly disoriented Jayna.

Plasma bolts continued raining down upon the two as a distraction while Jayna struggled to her feet.

"We can't let her get away!" Dia shouted.

"Keep deflecting!"

Jayna broke out into a sprint and climbed atop several empty containers that had been stacked in a pile previously. Once she was on the highest one, she leaped from the end and grasped Cere's outstretched hand, with the latter tugging her onto the ramp as it began to close. As a precaution Cere fired off several more shots from her blaster as a distraction, though it didn't do much good.

Cal raised a hand and reached out through the Force, pulling on the ship to prevent it from escaping as the engines burned even brighter in an attempt to free itself from the Force pull. An equally powerful Force pull from within the Mantis severed his connection, throwing Cal into Dia's path as the Twi'lek stood her ground and stabilized him at the same time.

The two Inquisitors watched as the S-161 "Stinger" XL vanished into space.

"We better go after them," Dia huffed, switching off her lightsaber as she made her way towards her TIE Fighter.

A Purge Trooper appeared before them, informing the duo the Emperor wanted to see Cal on Coruscant.

* * *

-Coruscant-

Emperor Palpatine was laughing tot himself as he sat in his chair within the chamber of his room.

He had spent _many_ years searching for signs of the girl.

Now it seems he's finally found her after sensing a powerful disturbance in the Force.

However, there was the dilemma of _how_ he was going to bring her back within his grasp. His apprentice was a loyal servant of his, but Vader has been prone to kill those he saw as a threat to his position of power, which meant Vader was not going to be informed of this. The girl was instrumental to his plan and he did _not_ want anyone to jeopardize nor threaten it in any form.

The Grand Inquisitor recently informed him of the progress of former Jedi padawan Cal Kestis, and how the boy was slowly starting to come into his own as an Inquisitor.

Yes.

Perhaps he could make use of Cal Kestis.

Use this as a test of his Dark Side conversion just to see how far the boy will fall.

"Emperor Palpatine, the First Brother has come to see you as requested."

Dismissing the Stormtrooper from the room alongside his personal guards, Palpatine leaned forward in his chair eagerly as Cal Kestis entered the room and knelt on one knee.

"Cal Kestis, I am pleased by the progress you are making. It seems you have taken to your new role as an Imperial Inquisitor," Palpatine praised with a satisfied grin that showed off the wrinkles around his face and lips.

"I thank you for your kind words," Cal replied, quelling the terror in his heart as he knelt there.

"Do you know why I have summoned you?"

"Have I done something that has incurred your wrath, my Emperor?"

Palpatine cackled at this and waved a hand dismissively at Cal's false allegations.

"On the contrary, I require your assistance in a certain mission which only you can do. I need you to retrieve someone and bring them to Coruscant."

"Who would that be?"

"Someone you are already acquainted with. The Force-sensitive human female by the name of Jayna Shan."

Cal's head tilted upward sharply as he look at the Emperor in shock through his helmet.

"I can sense your unease and apprehension. Listen to me carefully on what I am about to reveal in regards to Jayna Shan. Use this information to your advantage, manipulate her, toy with her emotions, bring her back to me so that I may finish what I have long wished to finish years ago."

* * *

Jayna groaned and opened her eyes in exhaustion.

It took her several moments to recall where she was.

After being knocked unconscious by the Third Sister and waking up to find a ship hovering overhead, Jayna took the chance that the ship belonged to Torone's friend Cere and leaped on board.

After that everything was hazy since she passed out from fatigue.

"Drink this," a kind voice said.

A woman was holding a bottle of water towards her.

The brunette took the cool bottle and quickly downed the liquid, sighing in relief as her thirst was quenched.

"You are Jayna Shan?"

"Yes. You must be Torone's friend?..."

The woman nodded in confirmation.

"I am Cere Junda, and this is my captain. We were originally waiting on Nur until I received Halas' call in regards to securing you off Bracca."

"Nur? I was on Nur before I was brought back to Bracca!"

At this Cere's pupils dilated in shock as she took a seat beside the brunette.

"Were you able to find someone by the name of Cal Kestis? We believe he was taken there by several Stormtroopers."

Jayna's expression took on a bitter appearance as she slammed the bottle harshly down on the table, eliciting a word of protest from Greez as the Lateron waddled away with the bottle back to the kitchen.

"Cal betrayed me. He promised he'd get me out of Nur but he nearly killed me on Bracca!"

"Wait...you mean?..." Cere was beginning to piece the puzzle together judging from Jayna's harsh words.

"Yes. He's the Inquisitor you saw fighting against me alongside the Third Sister earlier."

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Dun dun dun._

_Jayna has dropped a bombshell on Cere XD_

_How is she going to react now that Cere knows Cal became an Inquisitor?_

_Next few chapters will focus back on Trilla and Entiran as they try to come up with a way to escape Nur with Merrin (and hopefully Cal)._

_This quarantine has given me too much free time lol._

_Next chapter coming sometime next week!_

_Until then, remember to stay safe and practice social distancing!_

_Celsius Fate~_


	35. Chapter 35

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cal is given information regarding Jayna's true heritage
> 
> Jayna reveals to Cere that Cal has become the First Brother
> 
> Merrin learns a powerful spell that could potentially free Cal from the Empire's control, but at the cost of her life should she ever cast it

"You're lying. There's no way Cal is an Inquisitor. Are you _absolutely_ sure about this?" Cere refused to believe the words of a girl whom she just rescued.

"I'm not lying. I didn't randomly pull that name out of nowhere! He really is an Inquisitor, and from what I overheard, he currently holds the rank of First Borther," Jayna revealed bitterly, glaring at Cere as she spoke.

Sensing the honesty behind Jayna's words, Cere leaned back against the sofa of the living area. There was no possible way that Cal would be working for the Empire as an Inquisitor. First she lost Trilla to the Inquisitorius during the Purge, and now Cal has done the same. If Jaro Tapal knew of this, he would most definitely be disappointed in his Padawan.

"How? _Why_?" was all Cere managed to say weakly as she sat there in shock.

"I don't know! He came to me after getting me captured on Bracca. He was the one who revealed me as a Force-sensitive."

"Wait, he revealed you as a Force-sensitive?"

Jayna gave a nod of her head as confirmation.

"He touched something of mien and was able to...see? My past or something and was able to deduce I was a Force-sensitive from that alone."

Cere sucked in a sharp breath.

"He used Force Psychometry for that reason?"

"Force Psychometry?" Jayna gave Cere a quizzical look.

"It's a rare ability one has to be born with. It allows one to witness past events by sensing Force Echoes left behind by an object. Cal was born with such an ability, but to think he'd use it to..."

Cere still refused to believe what she heard.

Jayna felt Cere growing more and more tense as seen by the way her eyebrows were practically disappearing up her hairline. She tentatively reached a hand out and rested it atop the latter's shoulder in an attempt to comfort her.

"In any case, we need to return to Nur and pray that Trilla and Entiran are able to get Merrin off the planet, _hopefully_ with Cal."

Greez gave a small salute and set their course for Nur.

* * *

Trilla found herself strapped to the torture chair, but before it could be activated, Entiran entered the room. He dismissed the Stormtroopers from the room, then quickly freed her from her bonds.

"I thought you would never come," she scoffed.

"You have such little faith in me," he replied.

"Because you took your sweet time getting me out!" Trilla protested, jabbing a finger into his chest for emphasis.

"I had to play the part to avoid suspicion from the Grand Inquisitor and Vager."

The former rolled her eyes at her companion, then placed the helmet back over her head after Entiran handed it to her.

This was part of their plan to fool the others into believing Trilla was an Inquisitor once more. The only thing left was to report to the Grand Inquisitor and convince him to reinstate Trilla's status as the Second Sister, which would make it easier for them to move around the fortress without being questioned so much. Entiran's rank as Sixth Brother could only get them so far after all.

"Did you hear the position of First Brother has finally been taken?" Entiran informed Trilla as they headed for the Grand Inquisitor's personal chambers.

"Really now? That spot has been vacant for so long I even forgot it existed. Do you know who it is?"

"No. I tried asking for a name but he pulled rank to silence me right away."

A small laugh escaped Trilla's lips upon hearing Entiran being put in place. However, it bothered her that Cal and Merrin were still nowhere to be found. If they were indeed brought to fortress, then whoever it was must have done a hell of a job in hiding their existence from the others.

"Did you manage to find out where Cal and Merrin are being held?"

"No. I've only been free to roam for a short amount of time. I didn't get a chance to thoroughly interrogate the Stormtroopers."

* * *

Darth Vader went back to Merrin's room to inquire about her final answer in regards to his earlier proposal. After laying out all the specifics for her, the Sith Lord had no doubts the Nightsister would say anything but agree to his terms. So long as Cal Kestis remained within his grasp, the Zabrak would have no choice except to follow his orders. This way, he could keep an eye on both of them so they wouldn't spoil his future plans any longer.

"Have you thought about my offer?"

"You haven't exactly given me much of a choice, did you?" Merrin spat bitterly.

"If you cooperate, no harm shall come to you or Cal Kestis. Disobey me however, and the consequences will be severe."

"Why are you doing this/ You got what you wanted didn't you? Cal is no longer a threat now that he's an Inquisitor!"

Vader let out a deep chuckle at this.

"Remember Nightsister, your life and his are now in my hands. You will do well to never forget this."

Merrin buried her face between her hands and wept after Vader departed from the room. None of this would have happened if she hadn't been poisoned. Cal wouldn't have had to bring her to Nur. He wouldn't have become an Inquisitor if it weren't for her.

His descent to the Dark Side began _because_ of her.

"Cal...what have I done to you?" Merrin whispered to herself in horror.

 _My child, how you've suffered_.

The Zabrak Nightsister sat up straight in bed upon hearing the familiar voice of Mother Talzin echoing in the air around her.

"Mother Talzin?" she called out quietly.

The Force ghost of Talzin materialized in front of the distraught Nightsister, smiling at Merrin as the latter wiped her eyes on the back of her hand.

"Mother...I don't know what to do. Please guide me...I am so lost..."

Talzin's ghost floated over to where Merrin was seated and held out a transparent hand to her daughter. Merrin took the hand and smiled, her magick allowing them to touch each other's hands.

 _I am glad to see you well my daughter, but I sense there is turmoil within your me what is bothering_ _you_ , Talzin's ghost said comfortably.

"Mother, I...I have fallen for a Jedi."

_A Jedi? I thought you despised the Jedi?_

"I did, until Cal proved it wasn't the Jedi who killed our clan. I left Dathomir to seek out my own path with the Jedi and his friends. Along the way I...realized I had feelings for him."

The spectral ghost of Talzin tilted her head to the side in contemplation. Merrin swallowed nervously as she waited for her mother's spirit to say something.

"It's my fault that he became an Inquisitor, and now I've been forced to work with Darth Vader. Not to mention he put something inside my body..."

 _Something inside your body_?

Talzin began chanting in the ancient language of the Nightsisters as her hands glowed green.

Merrin observed silently as her mother waved her hands over her body. It took a while but Talzin suddenly flicked her wrists and a glowing orb extracted itself out of Merrin's mouth. Dry heaving for several minutes, the Nightsister took several deep breaths to calm herself afterwards.

_This was what Vader put inside your body._

"What is it?" Merrin noticed a wriggling organism inside the ball, the sight of which was enough to revolt her.

_An organism designed to cause its host pain on the command of its breeder. It would have made its way to your heart eventually, killing you if left unchecked._

"I see. Thank you for ridding my body of it. Now I no longer have to fear Vader."

Mother Talzin clenched her hand into a fist, crushing the orb between her palm.

 _I will teach you a spell, however this spell should only be used as a last resort_.

"But why?"

_Because this spell requires your life as sacrifice._

* * *

Somehow Trilla managed to pass the test of the Grand Inquisitor, thus her status as the Second Sister was reinstated after much scrutinizing and putting mental barriers around her brain to prevent the Paun from prodding within. She only breathed marginally easier once the Grand Inquisitor gave his permission for her to become the Second Sister once more.

Now all they had to do was figure out where Cal and Merrin were being held. The Stormtroopers shouldn't give them a hard time anymore, not with their statuses as Inquisitors within the Fortress.

"Let's figure out where they are and get out," Entiran said wearily.

"We should split up then," she suggested.

The two were abut to go their separate ways when a squad of Stormtroopers ran past them in a hurry towards the hangar bay.

"I sense our presence may be required," Entiran said as the duo changed directions for the hangar.

* * *

The information given by the Emperor was definitely _not_ what Cal was expecting. Now that Jayna's heritage was brought to light, Cal was uncertain on what he should do. It was obvious to him the Emperor was most likely using this as a test to see how far he's willing to fall. The Jedi Knight wouldn't give him the pleasure of watching the Dark Side consume him. If anything, the Force Echo he witnessed of Vader served as warning enough.

Yet at the same time, what if the Emperor said was true? If it was true then he can't get his hands on Jayna.

"You've been awfully quiet since Coruscant," Dia commented as she pressed several buttons to transmit her personal codes to Nur.

"Just thinking," Cal answered.

"For an Inquisitor, you sure are the odd one out of the bunch."

"Are you always this talkative with your partners?" Cal scowled slightly at the Twi'lek.

Dia chuckled at Cal's comment.

"I only respect those with power and position. My previous partners were all of a lower rank, so I didn't pay them much attention. You're the first who is of a higher rank _and_ you aren't hesitant in putting people in their place. I respect that about you," the latter explained as they approached Nur.

The TIE Fighter pulled into the dock and Cal exited the ship, stretching his limbs overhead as usual. Being cramped up inside that small space really does do a number to his muscles. Dia followed after, shaking her heat at her partner's antics.

"Oh, looks like Trilla has been reinstated as the Second Sister," the Twi'lek taunted as they walked past.

Trilla retaliated by placing Dia in a choke hold with the Force. Cal responded with a Force push which sent her flying into Entiran, both of them landing on their backs.

Cal extended a hand out to Dia, pulling her back onto her feet. Trilla and Entiran also disentangled themselves from one another, scrambling back to a standing position.

"Attack my partner again and you'll answer to my lightsaber," Cal said coldly behind his helmet.

"Who do you think you are?!" Entiran demanded in anger.

"I'm the First Brother."

He walked off without another word.

* * *

Mother Talzin finished explaining what the spell does and looked at Merrin. The Nightsister swallowed nervously, then dipped her head in understanding. The only time she should use this spell is during a desperate situation, and _only_ as a last resort.

This was her only way of saving Cal from Vader's control, physically and mentally. Therefore she had to wait for the perfect moment before casting it.

"Thank you Mother," she said.

 _I will always watch over you my daughter_.

Talzin's ghost faded away just as the door opened. Call removed his helmet to exhale a breath. Merrin caught a flash of a ominous aura briefly behind his emerald orbs, but it quickly vanished when she looked closely.

That was definitely not her imagination.

"You look better,"" Cal said with a relieved smile.

Merrin scooted over to give him room as he sat beside her on the bed. Seeing how tousled his hair was, the Nightsister reached a hand up to fix it. Cal leaned in against her touch, closing his eyes while her fingers gently brushed through his red locks in a soothing motion repeatedly.

"Trilla is here," Cal finally said, opening his eyes to look at her.

"Maybe Cere sent her here to get us out of this place. We can finally leave!" she said excitedly.

"The Emperor has given me a mission. If I fail this...then both our lives are in danger. We can't leave until I finish what the Emperor wants."

Merrin's fingers stilled on top of his head.

"What mission is this?" she asked quietly, a dreadful feeling slowly starting to build up within her body.

"He wants me to bring Jayna back."

The Nightsister frowned after hearing this.

"Why is he so obsessed with this Jayna person?"

Cal leaned in to whisper something in Merrin's ear. Amber orbs expanded in shock upon hearing what Cal revealed. She pressed a hand to her mouth and looked at him.

"You are sure about this?"

"Yes."

"Cal, you can't let the Emperor get his hands on her if that's true!"

A weary sigh left the Jedi Knight's lips. He knew the Emperor couldn't get his hands on Jayna, but what other choice did he have? Palpatine had given his world no harm shall come to him or his comrades, _including_ Cere and the others as long as he obeyed his arders.

"I don't know what to do. I have a massive headache and my body hurts."

Merrin's hands began glowing green as she sent a wave of healing energy into his body. Cal gave her a grateful smile, then leaned in to press his lips against hers in a chaste kiss.

"You're the most important person to me. I"d do anything to keep you safe," he murmured.

"Don't do anything that will put your life at risk!"

Their conversation was interrupted by the door opening, revealing Trilla and Entiran standing there in disbelief. The duo noticed the Inquisitor robes on Cal, then it dawned on the two of them.

" _You're_ the First Brother!?"

Cal's response was to Force push the two out of the room.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Hope everyone is still safe during these trying times!_

_See you all next time!_

_Celsius Fate~_


	36. Chapter 36

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jayna discovers a shocking secret about her former Commander on Bracca 
> 
> Trilla and Entiran try to plea with Cal to return with them, but Cal insists he cannot return until he finishes the mission given by Palpatine.....

Trilla and Entiran were forced out of the room as the door closed from the inside. The two stood up quickly to avoid suspicion from the Stormtroopers that were on guard duty, though many seemed to avoid them due to their status as Inquisitors.

"Did he just Force-push us out of the room?" Trilla asked in disbelief.

"Are you really going to ask me that?" Entiran gave her a look through his helmet.

Just as they were discussing their next step of action, the door opened up and Cal walked through with the helmet back over his head.

"Cal! We need to come up with a plan to leave this place," Trilla grabbed his upper arm as he walked by.

Cal was silent for a while before he calmly pulled his arm free.

"I can't leave, not yet, not until I finish what the Emperor wants me to do or Merrin and I will both die."

"What _does_ the Emperor want you to do?" Entiran inquired, not liking where this was going.

"It doesn't concern you but I need to finish this."

He walked off without another word, leaving Trilla and Entiran staring after his disappearing silhouette.

* * *

Aboard the Mantis, Jayna spent a long time conversing with Cere and she learned about the former Jedi's past and how she ended up on board the ship.

"I'm sorry about what happened...but at least your padawan is back by your side," she said when Cere finished telling her story.

"Being a Jedi is never an easy task. Even now I still fear for Trilla and Cal. I fear the dark side will tempt Trilla back to its embrace, and from what you told me, Cal is teetering between the forces of light and dark. One wrong nudge and his path will become the same as the other Jedi who fell."

Jayna bit her lips and reached into her bag, pulling out the lightsaber given to her by her former commander.

Cere noticed the weapon and her eyes went wide.

"How did you get a lightsaber?"

"My former commander gave it to me on Bracca. I don't know why she had one but she insisted I take it."

"What's your commander's name?"

"Halas Torone."

At this Cere's body went rigid at the mention of the name, her eyebrows furrowing together in shock and her hands began trembling slightly. Jayna noticed this and turned to give the elder woman a questioning look.

"Is something wrong?"

"Did you say Halas Torone?"

"Yes...is there a problem?"

"Her real name is Malavai Cordova...the sister of my former master Eno Cordova..."

* * *

Coming up with an excuse to get off the planet of Nur and back on board the Mantis was something that was definitely going to be difficult. Cal couldn't just very well waltz up to the Grand Inquisitor and say to the Pa'un he was on a secret mission from the Emperor. Palpatine had ordered him to remain silent on this matter, meaning he couldn't tell anyone, not even Darth Vader.

When he asked why he wasn't allowed to tell the Sith Lord, the Emperor didn't say the reason by the look from his eyes was enough to instill fear in Cal and he quickly dropped the matter.

Turning the corner towards the hangar, he was halfway through walking when someone stepped in front of his path.

"Cal, we need to talk about this."

"Trilla, I _really_ don't have time for this," he said, brushing past her.

"We're not leaving without you and Merrin! Why else did you think I risked my life sneaking back here and pretending to be an Inquisitor again?" she hissed, pulling him into a small crack big enough to fit both of them so the Stormtroopers wouldn't overhear their conversation.

"None of this would've happened if Merrin hadn't been shot by that Haxion bounty hunter! I wouldn't have had to come to the Empire to ask for help! What were _you_ doing the entire time? Just watching over your little friend instead!"

The Second Sister merely stared at her friend silently as Cal went on a rant.

"My life was completely fine until you and the Ninth Sister showed up on Bracca! You killed Prauf, the only friend I ever had on that planet. You chased me halfway across the galaxy, toying with my mind and playing games with me the entire time. Trilla...you don't know what I'm going through right now. If you _really_ want to help, then figure out a way to get Merrin off Nur and back with Cere. I can't come back yet, not until my mission is done."

Trilla was torn between punching her friend in the face or actually helping to find a way to get Merrin of Nur.

"What mission?! Tell me so I can help you!" she insisted.

"If I told you, you wouldn't let me finish it. I _need_ to do this on my own."

"Cal-"

A hand was held up to stop her from finishing the sentence.

"I appreciate the concern Trilla."

* * *

Jayna stared at Cere like she had just spoken in an alien language.

"You're saying...Commander Torone _is_ a Jedi?"

"Was," Cere corrected. "She was a Jedi until Order 66 was given. She must have gone into hiding like those of us who survived did...I just never thought she'd end up on Bracca as a commander of BracSec..."

Cere had to sit down to prevent her legs from giving out.

"So...if I'm following correctly...Commander Torone is actually Malavai Cordova...the sister of your former master?"

"Yes. Master Cordova has mentioned many times that he had a sister, he would often speak of her during our time alone on Bogano. I think his greatest regret was dying without knowing what happened to her, since they were sent on different missions once they became Masters."

"I see..."

Scooting closer to the young girl, Cere closed Jayna's fingers over the hilt of the lightsaber.

"Wield it in her honor. If she passed it on to you, it must mean something. Perhaps she wants you to become a Jedi in your own right."

"Me? A Jedi? I'm in no fighting condition! Cal can easily kick my ass if he wanted to!" Jayna protested.

"While it is true you weren't afforded the luxury of training as a Padawan like Cal did, it is still _never_ too late to learn the ways of the Force. The only way I can offer help is to give you guidance, as I clearly failed in my endeavor as a Master...not after what happened with Trilla."

Staring at the lightsaber hilt in her hand, Jayna contemplated Cere's words. The Empire wanted her for some reason, whether malicious or benevolent she did not know. The only thing she _was_ sure of was one plain fact; the Empire will stop at _nothing_ to get her. If training in ways of the Force was the only way to defend herself, then she'll have to take risk.

She certainly didn't want a repeat of what happened on Bracca after all.

"Alright. Train me in the ways of the Force," she said with determination.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_I'm alive!_

_Real life just caught up to me so I'm sorting out a lot of stuff at the moment._

_My husband and I bought an apartment so I'm busy trying to take care of things so we can move in together._

_Work has been hectic as well._

_I promise I'll update again whenever I'm able to!_

_See you all next chapter!_

_Things will kick back up next chapter as Cal is forced to bring Jayna back to the Emperor!_

_Celsius Fate~_


	37. Chapter 37

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jayna's past comes to light after Cal reveals the truth behind her birth and connection to the Emperor.....

Cal exited the Grand Inquisitor's chamber after speaking to the Pa'un about a mission. It seemed Vader had other plans in mind and wanted him to take care of the Rebels on Lothal as soon as possible. The Sith Lord knew of his involvement in helping the Rebels there beat back the Empire, and threatened him with Merrin's life if he didn't comply. With no other way of getting out of it, Cal reluctantly agreed under the condition of being allowed to make contact with the crew of the Mantis as an 'undercover' agent of sorts. Vader was amused by this and tried to force his way into Cal's mind to see what the young human was up to, but Cal managed to resist long enough for the Sith Lord to believe his intentions.

With the permission of Vader (to not arouse suspicions from the other Inquisitors), Cal went back to the room where Merrin was and told her they were getting off Nur.

"Cal, is it true? Are we finally leaving here?" Merrin asked, gripping his hand tightly while he told her the news.

"We are...but in return I have to help Vader subdue the Rebels on Lothal," he answered quietly.

The Nightsister was confused as she sat closer to the Jedi. "Cal, please tell me you're not still planning on working for Vader! We can't work for the Empire, not after everything they've done to the Jedi and to my fellow Sisters on Dathomir." Her eyes were locked onto that of Cal's, and the latter had to look away for fear of showing his guilt over what he had to do.

"Vader threatened me with your life Merrin. I can't let anything happen to you..."

"Cal, listen to me. Mother Talzin has helped me purge the... _things_ from inside my body. The Emperor and Vader can't hurt me through it anymore," she revealed in a hushed voice, afraid that others will overhear.

His eyes widened.

"You're cured? How?"

"Mother Talzin's ghost appeared and taught me some new tricks," she said with a smile.

As much as he _wanted_ to kiss her right then and there, Cal was afraid other Inquisitors or Stormtroopers will see, thus refrained from doing so. He did squeeze her hands tightly in his to show affection.

"We'll leave now. I managed to convince Vader to let us meet with the Mantis under the pretense of turning them over to the Empire as well."

"Cal! You're going to put Cere and the others in danger!"

"That's why _you_ need to be with them and help them get away from Nur. Vader will no doubt keep an eye on me, but he most likely won't be as wary around you because he still believes he can kill you at any time!"

A Stormtrooper knocked on the door and informed Cal that the ship was ready for him to leave for the Mantis.

"Come Merrin, we need to get out before they suspect anything," Cal said as he stood up with her.

"Wait. What about Trilla and...the Sixth Brother? Won't they be in danger?"

"Trilla can handle herself, she'll find a way back to us."

* * *

Vader wasn't entirely convinced of the First Brother's intentions.

The Sith Lord stood in front of the huge screens that monitored Nur and focused his attention on one of the hangar bays. The First Brother was leaving with the Nightsister, with two Stormtroopers escorting them towards the ramp.

"Send the Seventh Sister to monitor his actions. If the First Brother strays from his mission, she may use force to bring him back dead or alive."

The Grand Inquisitor gave a bow and went off to send a message to the Seventh Sister.

"Now...Cal Kestis...show me what your _true_ intentions are," Vader said as the ship took off from the hangar.

* * *

Jayna and Cere were in the middle of meditating when Greez interrupted their cycle.

"We've got a ship incoming!" he yelled from the cockpit.

Cere was immediately on her feet as she rushed towards the front to take control of the blasters in case they were being attacked. Jayna went up to join them by sitting in the comms seat. She had the headset over her ears and tried to decode what the signals were hiding. Then her eyes went wide when she managed to intercept the message being sent from the ship in front of her.

"Wait! Don't shoot! It's Cal and Merrin!" she yelled.

"Impossible! Are you sure you're not being deceived?" Cere countered, her finger wrapped around the trigger.

"I'm sure!"

Sharing a look with Greez briefly, Cere gave a nod of her head and decided to believe Jayna. As the fighter drew closer and closer, Cere was indeed able to make out Cal's face in the pilot seat, though his clothing were a little odd. Cal made a sign with his fingers and signaled for them to follow him. She motioned with her hands towards Greez and the latter started the engines and followed after.

None of the Empire's ships were chasing after them.

* * *

-Bogano-

Cal led the Mantis back to Bogano and landed in their usual spot with the Mantis not far away from them. The ramp slid open and Cal rushed off with Merrin, the duo running over to greet Cere, Greez and Jayna.

"Guys!" Cal shouted.

Cere immediately noticed the Inquisitor Robes Cal was wearing and became cautious.

"Cal! What in the name of the Force are you wearing?! Are you an Inquisitor!?" she demanded, a hand on her blaster as she held Greez and Jayna back.

"It's a long story. I'm not an Inquisitor! Trust me Cere, I hate the Empire just as much as you do!" Cal protested.

"Then explain what happened! Why did you go missing on Lothal? Also where are Trilla and Entiran?"

The Jedi Knight sighed heavily and closed his eyes briefly.

"After Merrin was poisoned by a Haxion Brood mercenary, I had to bring her to the Empire to save her. Vader was only willing to do so under the condition of me becoming the First Brother. I _couldn't_ let her die Cere! I had no choice _but_ to accept!"

The former Jedi looked over at the Nightsister for confirmation and the latter nodded her head without hesitation. Through the Force, Cere was able to sense the truth of Cal's words and finally relaxed her stance.

"Vader isn't going to let you go so easily when he finds out you've betrayed the Empire and played him like a fool," she warned.

"There's more. The Emperor wants me to bring Jayna back to him," he revealed to a shocked Jayna and Mantis crew.

"Me? What does the Emperor want with _me_ of all people?" Jayna asked in disbelief.

Why did she get caught up in this mess?

All she ever wanted was to live a quiet and peaceful life without having the Empire on her back, but Cal's words just painted a huge target over her head now.

"Jayna, how much of your past do you know?" Cal suddenly inquired as all eyes turned to her.

Biting her lips in confusion, Jayna struggled to come up with a decent answer. She had been raised on Brentaal IV her entire life up to the point she enlisted in BracSec and became Ha— _Malavai_ 's Padawan. Her parents were kind and loving people who raised her like she was their princess. Then the Empire came and pretty much threw her life upside down after that.

"I don't know...I-I was raised on Brentaal IV...and then enlisted in BracSec as soon as I could..."

"Jayna, your _true_ parents are Dreya Shan and Kos Raidan. Your mother was an incredibly gifted Jedi Healer while your father was extremely Force sensitive. Kos was...let's just say he was a clone. A clone engineered by Darth Sidious in an attempt to cheat death, but he failed to realize Kos was not like the other clones. Your mother tried to get the Jedi Council to accept him as a Padawan but was rejected, so she left the Order and settled on Pasaana. They got married later on and had you, their daughter."

While Jayna was struggling to come to terms with this, Cere picked up a fact from what Cal had just said and was disturbed by it.

"Did you say Dreya Shan? As in _the_ Dreya Shan?"

"Yes. Is there something wrong with her mother?" Cal asked quizzically.

Cere's brows furrowed together even more.

"During my time as a Padawan, I spent most of it in the Archives, reading as much as I could about the history of the Order. Dreya's name was mentioned as being the descendant of Bastila and Revan. Revan was a former Sith Lord while Bastila was a Jedi gifted with a Force power that Jayna also inherited. To think she actually had a daughter...and said daughter is standing in front of us..."

"I still don't get why the Emperor wants me!" Jayna suddenly shouted, refusing to believe what she had just heard.

"Jayna...in a way...you're a daughter of the Emperor. Your father, Kos, was a failed clone who developed a psyche of his own and rebelled against the Emperor. That's why he wants you, because you're related to him. I think he wants to use you...but I wasn't able to find out for what."

Unwilling to hear anymore of this, Jayna ran off towards the direction of the vault in the distance. Cal made to chase after her but Cere held a hand out to stop him.

"Give her time. She needs to accept this on her own," she said quietly.

* * *

Deciding to settle on Bogano for the time-being until Jayna gathered herself together, Merrin spent the rest of the day talking with Cere about the events while Cal went to the vault to check on Jayna. BD-1 had also emerged from the Mantis and was clinging to Cal the way they used to. Together, the duo found Jayna sitting inside the vault and staring at her reflection in the water.

"Hey," he called out quietly.

"Leave me alone please," she said.

"I know it's hard to accept..."

Jayna's angry expression cut Cal off from saying anything further as she turned back around to stare at her reflection in silence. Unsure of what to do in this situation, Cal was about to sit down beside her when a voice cut through his thoughts, causing him to flinch in response.

_Bring her to me..._

It was the Emperor's voice.

_Bring her to me or all your friends will die. Think wisely Cal Kestis, this is your one and only chance. Bring her to me and I will spare the lives of your friends..._

"I-I'll be outside..." he managed to say before stumbling back out.

That's when he noticed a squad of Purgetroopers stationed nearby with the Seventh Sister giving them orders. Cal knew she must have been sent by Vader to keep an eye on him from Nur.

"Go back to the ship without being seen BD," he said to the little droid.

 _Beep-fwoo-boop_?

"Don't ask. Just go, tell Cere and the others to get off Bogano."

_Bee-beep!_

"I'll be fine buddy. I promise," he whispered.

Giving his partner a final look while its antennas flattened briefly, BD-1 scurried through the darkness towards the Mantis to warn the crew to leave. Cal straightened back up and turned to look at the vault.

His eyes had taken on a vague crimson glow.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review?_

_I'm still alive!_

_I've been getting messages about continuing this story, I hope this chapter proves I haven't given up on this story._

_I will see this one through to the end! I promise!_

_I have a twist planned in regards to Cal's origins coming in future chapters._

_Thank you Torytigress for insight behind Jayna's past and letting me go wild now XD_

_Until next chapter!_

_Celsius Fate~_


	38. Chapter 38

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A rift starts to form between Cal and Jayna after Cal betrays her trust....

Cere was in the midst of talking to Merrin when BD-1 scuttled aboard and hopped onto the hologram table before beeping furiously. Holding a hand up to pause their conversation, Cere tilted her head as she listened to what the little droid was saying. Though unable to understand what BD was saying, Merrin could sense the urgency behind the whistles and beeps from the little droid.

"Greez, start the ship now!" Cere snapped as she rushed to the cockpit.

The Latero waddled into view from the kitchen where he had been preparing a meal for them.

"What's going on?"

"The Empire is here! We need to get off Bogano now!"

"But Cal and Jana are still-" Greez protested.

Merrin shot off the couch and ran down the ramp towards the vault in the distance. From where she was positioned, the Nightsister could see Stormtroopers and someone who looked like an Inquisitor approaching the vault at a fast pace. Knowing she was in no position to battle all of them, and partly to prevent them from discovering their presence since it seemed they were distracted, Merrin cloaked herself and ran towards the vault.

_Hold on Cal, I'm coming!_

* * *

Cal could sense the approach of the Stormtroopers surrounding the vault and knew he had to play along if he wanted to get both him and Jayna out of there alive and unharmed.

"Don't move," he said.

"Excuse me?" Jayna replied, whirling around just in time to see Cal coming at her with his lightsaber.

Her own saber was barely ignited in time to block the strong blow from Cal as the latter rained blow after blow down onto her. Jayna was put on the defensive as she was forced to fight for her life. Compared to Cal who was trained as a Jedi since he was young, she lacked the finesse and grace he exhibited when it came to dueling with lightsabers. It took all her strength to even maintain a steady grip on the weapon as she blocked blows.

"Cal! What's gotten into you?!" she hissed, ducking as his lightsaber swung over her head.

"There's Stormtroopers and a Inquisitor here! Play along if you don't want to die!" he replied.

The doors of the vault flew open and the Seventh Sister appeared from the smoke along with a small battalion of Stormtroopers right behind. Upon seeing Cal engaged in battle with Jayna, the Stormtroopers spread out and aimed their blasters at the girl.

"Hold your fire!" Cal ordered as his lightsaber was locked onto Jayna's.

"Wait for an opening, and do try not to hit the First Brother."

"Yes Seventh Sister."

Cal jumped back just in time as the blasters opened fire upon Jayna and him. While he was able to retreat a safe distance away, Jayna could only send the blows back with her weapon. Eventually the sheer amounts of blasts pelting her forced Jayna to her knees. Cal held a hand up and the Stormtroopers stopped firing at his orders.

"Capture her," the Seventh Sister ordered.

Two Stormtroopers ran forward and bent to haul Jayna to her feet when she suddenly struck one of them across the chest with her weapon. Yet before Cal could step in to intervene, the Seventh Sister used the Force to immobilize Jayna before lifting her off her feet. Forced to remain still and play along in case the Seventh Sister saw through his plan, Cal could only watch as the Inquisitor approached a helpless Jayna.

"You certainly are an interesting one, Jayna Shan."

"How do you-"

"Uh uh, remember who I am. I can _see_ everything you're trying to hide from me," the Seventh Sister replied as she removed her helmet.

The Stormtrooper standing beside Cal came forward and handed him something. It was his helmet which must have dropped back when he was on Nur. With no other option but to accept it, Cal placed the helmet over his head to hide his expression but he was inwardly worried while biting his lips behind the visor.

"Kill me now!" Jayna spat at the Inquisitor, her eyes glaring daggers at the latter.

A cold laugh echoed off the walls of the vault as the Seventh Sister placed a hand under Jayna's chin, forcing the latter's head up to meet her eyes.

"I wish I could, but Lord Vader will have my head if I bring you in dead. No matter, you'll either soon join us or be dead. I'm not concerned with what happens to you once we return to Nur. I have to hand it to the First Brother though, you certainly did one hell of a job as an Inquisitor for tracking down a powerful Force-sensitive like this one here."

Cal forced himself to remain calm and emotionless.

"We have the girl. Let's go," he said before turning on his heels and heading for the doors.

The Stormtroopers followed after him while Jayna was escorted by the Seventh Sister personally.

* * *

The doors to the vault opened and Merrin found herself face to face with Cal and a small group of Stormtroopers. Immediately she threw her hands up and took out several of the clones before the others retaliated by firing on her. The Nightsister's hands glowed green as a barrier was conjured to block the blasts.

"Cal! What are you doing? Where's Jayna?" she shouted over the sounds of blasters firing.

Cal didn't answer physically but she could hear his voice in her head.

_Merrin, get out of here while you still can. Don't ask why, get back to Cere and the Mantis. This is the only thing I can do to keep you all safe until I find a way to escape with Jayna again._

"A Nightsister? What is a Nightsister doing on a planet like Bogano?"

Merrin's train of thoughts was broken when the Seventh Sister joined the fray as the Inquisitor spotted the Dathomirian blocking their path.

"If you're not going to fight her, at least stand aside so you won't get caught."

The Seventh Sister made to engage Merrin in battle but Cal held a hand up as a signal to stop. Scowling at this but nonetheless, the Seventh Sister had to obey since her rank was lower.

"We wasted enough time already. Lord Vader is not going to be pleased if we delay any longer. Leave the Nightsister," Cal said as his eyes silently pleaded with Merrin to play along behind his visor.

"Leave Jayna alone!" Merrin said, having gotten the initial message as her hands glowed again.

"Come and get her," the Seventh Sister taunted.

" _Enough_!" Cal demanded.

Wishing he had another option _but_ this, Cal used the Force and pushed Merrin backwards with just enough power behind the blow to knock her out briefly.

"Merrin!" Jayna yelled as she struggled against the Force hold keeping her in place.

* * *

Cere was just about to go searching for Merrin when she spotted the Nightsister limping towards the ship from a distance. Merrin was holding her arm and looked to be in pain. Rushing over to the ramp, Cere helped Merrin aboard and brought her over to one of the chairs. The Nightsister was sniffling quietly as tears dripped onto her hands.

"Greez get us out of here now," Cere said.

"What about the kid and Jayna?"

"Cal and the Empire captured Jayna," Merrin revealed quietly.

"What? Why would..." Cere trailed off and realized she made a grave error in believing Cal's words earlier.

Merrin seemed to have sensed Cere's thoughts and reached out to touch her hands gently.

"Don't misunderstand. Cal spoke to me through our thoughts...he said he had to do it to protect us. He's going to find a way to escape with Jayna and find his way back to us."

"Didn't he _just_ escape from the Empire with you? What's he doing bringing Jayna back to them!?"

The Nightsister lowered her head and contemplated on whether she should tell Cere and Greez about Cal being forced to deal with the rebels on Lothal.

* * *

Aboard the transport that would take them back to Nur, Cal briefly dismissed the two Stormtroopers guarding Jayna's cell and he stepped inside. He found her curled up against a corner, with her head buried in her knees. Her lightsaber had been confiscated to prevent her from using it as a means of escape. Cal quietly approached and knelt down beside her.

"Jayna."

"Don't touch me! You betrayed me Cal! How could you! I thought we were friends!" she said angrily, tears evident in her eyes as she looked up to glare at him through watery pupils.

Cal sighed heavily in defeat.

"I'm sorry. I know you probably hate me...but please understand I'm doing this to protect everyone."

"By _sacrificing_ me!"

"I'll find a way to help you escape!"

Jayna scoffed at his declaration and turned her head away.

"Just leave me alone."

With no other choice since a Stormtrooper came to inform him he had a message from Vader, Cal could only give Jayna an apologetic look before he left the cell to answer the call.

Vader's hologram was hovering in front of the Seventh Sister when Cal arrived on deck.

"Lord Vader," Cal answered, his voice flat and cold.

"Cal Kesist, the Emperor has ordered you to bring the girl to him on Coruscant. Your mission to destroy the remaining rebels on Lothal will be on hold until after your visit."

"Yes my lord," he replied with a small bow of his head.

The hologram flickered briefly before cutting out, leaving Cal alone with the Seventh Sister.

"Set course for Coruscant," he ordered to the pilots.

"Yes First Brother."

Cal spent the remaining duration of the trip trying to figure out a plan to get Jayna away from the Emperor's clutches without risking the lives of his friends.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review?_

_For my readers who enjoy this story, I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart._

_You guys are my reason to keep this story going._

_Now that the Mandalorian season 2 is over, I have an idea of how I want the next few chapters to flow. Don't be surprised if you see Din and Grogu appearing for a majority of the next chapter ;D_

_Also, Happy New Year! (Better late than never right?)_

_Until the next update!_

_Celsius Fate!_


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